Difference between revisions of "Pope Marcellinus" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''Pope Saint Marcellinus''' was the bishop of Rome beginning c. 296 until his death in c. 304 C.E. Although the majority of his pontificate was peaceful, his reign is particularly controversial, because he is believed by many to have committed the sin of [[apostasy]] while pope. Several sources indicated that Marcellinus sacrificed to pagan idols during the persecution of [[Emperor Diocletian]], and only became a [[martyr]] after his conscience moved him to recant his apostasy.
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Modern Catholic authorities dispute that Marcellinus succumbed to temptation under persecution, although for centuries his biography accepted the tradition that he indeed did so but had repented of his sin and redeemed himself by becoming a [[martyr]]. This feast of Pope Saint Marcellinus is on April 26.
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==Life==
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Little is known of Macellinus' history before he become pope. According to the ''[[Liber Pontificalis]],'' he was a Roman citizen, the son of a certain Projectus. The ''Liberian Catalogue'' of popes gives June 30 as the day of his election, and the years 296-304 as the time of his pontificate.
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Marcellinus’ pontificate began at a time when [[Diocletian]] was [[Roman Emperor]] but had not yet started to persecute the [[Christian]]s. The emperor thus left Christianity relatively free, and so the church’s membership and influence grew. Diocletian first moved against Christianity in the year 302. Christian soldiers in the Roman army were forced to resign, and later the Church's property was confiscated and Christian books were destroyed. After two fires in Diocletian’s palace were blamed on the Christians, the emperor took harder measures: Christians had either to apostatize, or they were sentenced to death. The emperor's anti-Christian edicts in Rome were executed by Caesar [[Maximian]], causing great difficulties in the Roman Church after 303. Marcellinus died in the second year of the persecution.
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Contemporary sources do not mention him as a [[martyr]]. His name does not occur either in the list of martyrs or even in the list of the bishops in the fourth-century Roman ''Chronograph''. Neither is he mentioned in the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum." However, in speaking of Marcellinus, the church historian [[Eusebius]] uses an obscure but perhaps telling expression: He was "overtaken by the persecution" (''Hist. Eccl.'' VII, 32). From this, it seems that Eusebius believed he did not suffer martyrdom, in which case a different expression would have been used. However, others clearly believed that he did die a martyr's death, but only after first apostatizing. Indeed, some scholars believe that the reason he is omitted from some lists of martyrs and bishops is that he was considered unworthy of either title, perhaps simply committing apostasy and never repenting. In this theory, he was later rehabilitated to the status of a pope who had lapsed but soon repented and was then martyred.
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===Persecution===
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From 299 to 302, [[Diocletian]]'s primary residence was in Antioch, where he carried out a cruel persecution against [[Manichaenism]]. By the autumn of 302, he turned the power of his office against the Christians. Diocletian ordered that Deacon Romanus of Caesarea have his tongue removed for interrupting official sacrifices. Romanus was later put to death on November 17, 303. At first, Diocletian limited his general proscriptions against Christianity to the ranks of the military. However, after seeking the advice of the [[oracle]] of [[Apollo]] at Didyma, he decided on a universal persecution.
  
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'''Pope Saint Marcellinus''' was the bishop of Rome beginning c. 296 until his death in c. 304 C.E.. His reign is particularly controversial, in that he is believed to have committed the sin of apostasy while pope, but sacrificing to pagan idols during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian. The majority of his pontificate, however, was peaceful tranquil period terminated by a renewed and bloody persecution of Christians, the last of its kind, by the Roman emperor Diocletian. It is believed that Marcellinus became an apostate during the persecution, offering incense to the pagan gods of Rome. St. Augustine of Hippo, however, discredits the charge. Marcellinus supposedly repented and was martyred, but his martyrdom is unproved.
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On February 23, 303, Diocletian ordered that the newly built church at [[Nicomedia]] be razed. He also demanded that its scriptures be seized and burned, and that any precious items of the church be devoted to the state treasury. The next day, Diocletian's first ''Edict against the Christians'' was published. The order commanded the destruction of Christian scriptures and places of worship across the Empire and prohibited Christians from assembling for worship. Before the end of February, a fire destroyed part of the imperial palace. A second fire occurred 16 days after the first. Convinced that the culprits were Christians, Diocletian moved even more forcefully against the church until at least April 24, 303, when six individuals, including the bishop of [[Antioch]], were decapitated. Antioch having become too unsafe in his opinion, Diocletian soon left the city for Rome. Further edicts followed, compelling the arrest of the Christian clergy and universal acts of pagan sacrifice to prove one's loyalty.  
  
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A long period of crisis in the government of the church followed Marcellinus’ death. Because of his alleged apostasy, peace was disturbed and was not restored until the election of Miltiades in July 311.
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===Apostasy===
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Reports indicate that during these persecutions, Marcellinus first gave up the sacred books and later offered incense to the gods rather than face martyrdom. The ''[[Liber Pontificalis]],'' basing itself on the lost ''Acts of St Marcellinus,'' admits that during Diocletian’s persecution, Marcellinus indeed offered incense to Roman idols. "He was haled to sacrifice, that he might offer incense," it reports, "and he did it." However, it hastens to add that he repented shortly afterwards, confessing his faith in Christ, and suffering martyrdom with several companions. Other documents also speak of his temporary defection to paganism. One version of the story is preserved as follows:
  
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<blockquote>Under the persecution of Diocletian, Marcellinus, the pope of Rome, was ordered to surrender the Scriptures, to sacrifice to the gods, and to offer incense—and he did. After his apostasy his conscience struck him mightily. He repented of his sin and confessed himself a Christian before the authorities. For this he was executed and crowned with the glory of martyrdom. His lapse and recovery show how God accepts repentance and how He exalts those who humble themselves before Him.<ref>Farley, 1997.</ref></blockquote>
  
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according to the ''[[Liberian Catalogue]]'', became bishop of [[Rome]] on June 30, 296; his predecessor was [[Pope Caius]]. He is not mentioned in the ''[[Martyrologium hieronymianum]]'', or in the ''Depositio episcoporum'', or in the ''Depositio martyrus''.
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[[Image:Martyrdom of pope Marcellinus.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The martyrdom of Pope Marcellinus.]]
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In the beginning of the fifth century, before the above-mentioned reports were published, [[Petilianus]], the [[Donatist]] bishop of [[Constantine, Algeria]], affirmed that Marcellinus and his priests had given up the holy books to the pagans during the persecution and offered incense to false gods. Saint [[Augustine of Hippo]], a leading anti-Donatist, denied the affair. Documents dealing with the confiscation of the church buildings at Rome, brought forward by Augustine during the Donatist controversy in Africa, mention only two Roman deacons as traitors who collaborated with Rome.
  
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Marcellinus’ pontificate began at a time when [[Diocletian]] was [[Roman Emperor]], but had not yet started to persecute the [[Christian]]s. He left Christianity rather free and so the church’s membership grew. [[Caesar (title)| Caesar]] [[Galerius]] led the [[paganism|pagan]] movement against Christianity and arrived to bring up Diocletian against Christianity in the year 302: first Christian soldiers had to leave the army, later the Church's property was confiscated and Christian books were destroyed. After two fires in Diocletian’s palace he took harder measures against Christians: they had either to apostatize or they were sentenced to death.
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At the beginning of the sixth century, an apocryphal document appeared purporting to be the acts of the council of Sinuessa (located between Rome and Capua). This supposed synod of 300 bishops reportedly took place in 303 in order to inquire into the accusations against Marcellinus. On the first two days, Marcellinus had denied everything, but on the third day he admitted his lapse and repented. However, the synod passed no sentence on him, declaring itself incompetent to pass judgment on the Roman pontiff. When Diocletian learned of the decision, he had the pope and several bishops of this synod executed. However, historians almost unanimously agree that the "acts" of this council are forged.
  
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The ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'', basing itself on the ''Acts of St Marcellinus'', the text of which is lost, relates that during Diocletian’s persecution Marcellinus was called upon to sacrifice, and offered incense to idols, but that, repenting shortly afterwards, he confessed the faith of Christ and suffered martyrdom with several companions. Other documents speak of his defection, and it is probably this lapse that explains the silence of the ancient liturgical calendars. In the beginning of the [[5th century]] [[Petilianus]], the [[Donatist]] bishop of [[Constantine, Algeria|Constantine]], affirmed that Marcellinus and his priests had given up the holy books to the pagans during the persecution and offered incense to false gods. [[Augustine of Hippo|St Augustine]] contents himself with denying the affair. The records of the pseudo-council of [[Sinuessa]], which were fabricated at the beginning of the [[6th century]], state that Marcellinus after his fall presented himself before a council, which refused to try him on the ground that ''prima sedes a nemine iudicatur'' ("The first See is judged by none").
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Another tradition holds that Marcellinus repented to an assembly of bishops at Campania: "The pope dressed in sackcloth poured ashes over his head and entered the assembly and, before all, confessed his sin begging them (the bishops) to judge him." Told that he should execute sentence on himself, Marcellinus stripped himself of the priesthood, declared that he should not be buried in holy ground, and returned to Diocletian to confess his faith in Christ, whereupon he was beheaded. His body lay unburied for 36 days. [[Saint Peter]] appeared to the new pope, [[Marcellus]] and ordered that the body of Marcellinus be buried, saying: "He who humbles himself shall be exalted."  
  
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According to the ''Liber Pontificalis'', Marcellinus was buried, on April 26, 304, in the cemetery of [[Priscilla]], on the Via Salaria, 25 days after his martyrdom; the Liberian Catalogue gives as the date October 25. The fact of the martyrdom, too, is not established with certainty. After a considerable interregnum he was succeeded by Marcellus, with whom he has sometimes been confused. During his pontificate, [[Armenia]] became the first Christian nation in 301.
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Modern Catholic tradition holds that "the pope did not comply with the imperial edict by any overt act, such as the surrender of the sacred writings, or even the offering of incense before the statue of a god."<ref>Catholic Encyclopedia, [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09637d.htm Pope St. Marcellinus.]  Retrieved July 4, 2008.</ref> It is notable in his defense that neither Eusebius nor Theodoret mentions Marcellinus' alleged apostasy. On the other hand, it is remarkable, that in the Roman ''Chronograph'' whose first edition was in 336, the name of this pope alone is missing, while all other popes from [[Lucius I]] onwards are listed.
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==Biography==
 
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Date of birth unknown; elected 30 June, 296; died 304. According to the "Liber Pontificalis" he was a Roman, son of a certain Projectus. The Liberian Catalogue of popes (ed. Duchesne, "Lib. Pont." I, 6-7) gives 30 June as the day of his election, and the years 296-304 as the time of his pontificate. These dates, accepted by the author of the "Liber Pontificalis", are verified by that ancient source. Nothing has been handed down concerning the activities of this pope in his reign of eight years. We learn from the Roman deacon Severus's epitaph in the Catacomb of Callistus (De Rossi, "Roma Sotterranea", III, 46 tav. V) that at that time new burial chambers were made in the chief cemetery of the Roman Church. Severus says that he had laid out a double cubiculum with luminare and arcosolium, "jussu papæ sui Marcellini". This happened before the outbreak of the great Diocletian persecution; for in this the Callistus Catacomb was confiscated, like the other public meeting-places of the Roman community. De Rossi assumes that the Christians blocked up the principal galleries of the catacomb at this time, to protect from desecration the tombs of the numerous martyrs buried there. The Diocletian persecution, whose severe edicts against the Christians were executed by Maximianus Herculeus, caused the greatest confusion in the Roman Church after 303. Marcellinus died in the second year of the persecution and, in all probability, a natural death. No trustworthy sources of the fourth or fifth century mention him as a martyr. His name does not occur either in the list of martyrs or the bishops in the Roman "Chronograph" of the year 354. Neither is he mentioned in the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum". The "Marcellinus episcopus" on 4 Oct. in "Codex Bernensis" (ed. De Rossi-Duchesne, 129) is probably not identical with the pope. In mentioning Marcellinus, Eusebius uses an obscure expression; he merely says: "the persecution also affected him" (‘òn kaì a’utòn kateílephon ‘o diogmòs "Hist. Eccl.", VII, 32). From this one must obviously conclude that the pope did not suffer martyrdom, otherwise Eusebius would have distinctly stated it. There were even later reports in circulation that accused him of having given up the sacred books after the first edict, or even of having offered incense to the gods, to protect himself from the persecution. But the sources in which this reproach is clearly stated are very questionable.
 
  
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The Donatist Bishop Petilianus of Constantine in Africa asserted, in the letter he wrote in 400 and 410, that Marcellinus and the Roman priests Melchiades, Marcellus, and Sylvester (his three successors) had given up the sacred books, and had offered incense. But he could not adduce any proof. In the Acts of confiscation of the church buildings at Rome, which at the great Carthaginian conference between Catholics and Donatists, were brought forward by the latter, only two Roman deacons, Straton and Cassius, were named as traitors. St. Augustine, in his replies to Petilianus, disputes the truth of the latter's report ("Contra litteras Petiliani", II, 202: "De quibus et nos solum respondemus: aut non probatis et ad neminem pertinet, aut probatis et ad nos non pertinet"; "De unico baptismo contra Petilianum", cap. xvi: "Ipse scelestos et sacrilegos fuisse dicit; ego innocentes fuisse respondeo"). One can only conclude from Petilianus's accusation that such rumours against Marcellinus and Roman priests were circulated in Africa; but that they could not be proved, otherwise St. Augustine would not have been able to assert the innocence of the accused so decidedly, or safely to have referred to the matter at the Carthaginian conference. But even in Rome similar stories were told of Marcellinus in certain circles, so that in two later legendary reports a formal apostasy was attributed to this pope, of course followed by repentance and penance. The biography of Marcellinus in the "Liber Pontificalis", which probably alludes to a lost "passio" of his, relates that he was led to the sacrifice that he might scatter incense, which he did. But after a few days he was seized with remorse, and was condemned to death by Diocletian with three other Christians, and beheaded. It is clear that this report attempts to combine a rumour that the pope had offered incense to the gods, with the fact that, in other circles he was regarded as a martyr and his tomb venerated.
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If he was not martyred, then what did happen to Marcellinus? It is possible that he was able to hide himself in a safe place of concealment, as many other bishops did, and simply died of natural causes. But it is also possible that when the edict of outright persecution was issued, he somehow secured his own immunity—for instance through a bribe. In Roman Christian circles this would have been imputed to him as weakness, but not as apostasy; yet, his reputation would certainly have suffered from it. However, it is certain that his tomb was venerated by the Christians of Rome and that he was later recognized as a [[martyr]].
  
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At the beginning of the sixth century, rather later than this "passio Marcellini", a collection of forged documents appeared, which were manufactured in the dispute between Pope Symmachus and Laurentius. Among them are also found apocryphal Acts of an alleged synod of 300 bishops, which took place in 303 at Sinuessa (between Rome and Capua) in order to inquire into the accusation against Marcellinus that he had sacrificed at Diocletian's order. On the first two days Marcellinus had denied everything, but on the third day he admitted his lapse and repented; however the synod passed no sentence on him "quia prima sedes non judicatur a quoquam". When Diocletian learnt of the occurrence, he had the pope and several bishops of this synod executed (Hefele, "Konziliengeschichte", I, 2 Aufl. 143-45). The spuriousness of these acts is almost certain. The forger has made the most of the rumour of Marcellinus's lapse for his own purposes in a different way from the author of the "passio", which crept into the "Liber Pontificalis". These apocryphal fragments cannot by themselves be considered as historical proofs, any more than the rumours in Donatist circles in Africa. It is accepted as certain that the pope did not comply with the imperial edict by any overt act, such as the surrender of the sacred writings, or even the offering of incense before the statue of a god. Such an apostasy of a Roman bishop would without a doubt have been given the greatest prominence by contemporary authors. Eusebius has not made use of the above mentioned idea. And later, Theodoret was still less in a position to state in his "Church History", that Marcellinus had been prominent in the persecution ton ’en tô diogmô diaprépsanta (Hist. Eccl., I, 2). And Augustine also would not have been able to assert so curtly in answer to Petilian, that Marcellinus and the priests accused with him as traitors and "lapsi" were innocent.
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Marcellinus died in 304, but the day of his death is not certain. In the ''Liber Pontificalis,'' his burial is dated as April 26. This may be a mistake, but this date is retained in the historical martyrologies of the ninth century and—based on them—in the later martyrologies. If the date of his death were calculated from the duration of his office given in the ''Liberian Catalogue,'' he would have died on October 24 or 25, 304. His body was interred in the [[Catacomb of Priscilla]] on the Via Salaria, near the crypt of the martyr [[Saint Crescentius]].
  
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On the other hand it is remarkable, that in the Roman "Chronograph" whose first edition was in 336, the name of this pope alone is missing, while all other popes from Lucius I onwards are forthcoming. In the manuscript there is indeed under 16 Jan. (XVIII kal. Feb.) the name Marcellinus, but this is clearly a slip of the pen for "Marcellus"; for the feast of this pope is found both in the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum" and in the old liturgical Roman books under this date, while in the "Liber Pontificalis" and, in connection therewith, in the historical martyrologies of the ninth century, the feast of Marcellinus is transferred to 26 April (Acta SS., June, VII, 185). By certain investigators (Mommsen, de Smedt) the lack of Marcellinus's name was traced to the omission of a copyist, owing to the similarity of the names, and in the "Depositio Episcoporum" they claimed to supplement the "Chronograph": XVII kal. Febr. Marcelli in Priscillæ VI kal. Maii Marcellini in Priscillæ (de Smedt, "Introductio in hist. eccl. critice tractandam", 512-13). But this hypothesis is not accepted. The dates of the death of the popes, as far as Sylvester in the list of successions, are identical with the days of the month on which their feasts are celebrated. Thus Marcellinus must come first after Gaius, whose name is quoted under the date X kal. Maii. Then Marcellinus is lacking not only in the "Chronograph", but also in the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum", and in all fifth and sixth century lists of popes. This omission is therefore not accidental, but intentional.
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==Legacy==
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During Marcellinus' pontificate, [[Armenia]] became the first Christian nation in 301. Some sources indicate that it was he who ordered the Catacomb of [[Callixtus]] filled with earth, to protect it from desecration.
  
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In connection with the above mentioned rumours and the narratives of apocryphal fragments, it must indeed be admitted that in certain circles at Rome the conduct of the pope during the Diocletian persecution was not approved. In this persecution we know of only two Roman clerics who were martyred: the priest Marcellinus and the exorcist Petrus. The Roman bishop and the other members of the higher clergy, except the above clerics, were able to elude the persecutors. How this happened we do not know. It is possible that Pope Marcellinus was able to hide himself in a safe place of concealment in due time, as many other bishops did. But it is also possible that at the publication of the edict he secured his own immunity; in Roman circles this would have been imputed to him as weakness, so that his memory suffered thereunder, and he was on that account omitted by the author of the "Depositio Episcoporum" from the "Chronograph", while he found a place in the "Catalogus Liberianus", which was almost contemporary. But his tomb was venerated by the Christians of Rome, and he was afterwards recognized as a martyr, as the "passio" shows. Marcellinus died in 304. The day of his death is not certain; in the "Liber Pontificalis" his burial is wrongly placed at 26 April, and this date is retained in the historical martyrologies of the ninth century, and from them, in the later martyrologies. But if we calculate the date of his death from the duration of his office given in the Liberian Catalogue, he would have died on 24 or 25 Oct., 304. His body was interred in the Catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria, near the crypt where the martyr Crescentius found his resting-place. The Catacomb of Callistus, the official burial place of the Roman Church, where the predecessors of Marcellinus were buried during several decades, was evidently confiscated in the persecution, while the Catacomb of Priscilla, belonging to the Acilii Glabriones, was still at the disposal of the Christians.
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Neither Marcellinus' martyrdom nor his apostasy is an established historical fact. However, it seems clear that the Roman church suffered considerably after his death, as well as during the two years preceding it. After a considerable interregnum, he was succeeded by [[Pope Marcellus I]], with whom he has sometimes been confused due to the similarity of their names. The period during which the papal throne was unoccupied casts doubt on the tradition holding that his body lay unburied for 36 days until [[Saint Peter]] appeared and ordered the new Pope Marcellus to bury him.
  
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The tomb of Marcellinus was venerated at a very early date by the Christians of Rome. The precise statements about its position, in the "Liber Pontificalis", indicate this. In one of the seventh century itineraries of the graves of the Roman martyrs, in the "Epitome de locis ss. martyrum", it is expressly mentioned among the sacred graves of the Catacomb of Priscilla (De Rossi, "Roma sotteranea", I, 176). In the excavations at this catacomb the crypt of St. Crescentius, beside which was the burial chamber of Marcellinus, was satisfactorily identified. But no monument was discovered which had reference to this pope. The precise position of the burial chamber is therefore still uncertain. The lost "passio" of Marcellinus written towards the end of the fifth century, which was utilized by the author of the "Liber Pontificalis", shows that he was honoured as a martyr at that time; nevertheless his name appears first in the "Martyrology" of Bede, who drew his account from the "Liber Pontificalis" (Quentin, "Les martyrologes historiques", 103, sq.). This feast is on 26 April. The earlier Breviaries, which follow the account of the "Liber Pontificalis" concerning his lapse and his repentance, were altered in 1883.
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The tomb of Marcellinus, however, was indeed venerated at an early date by the Christians of Rome. In one of the seventh century pilgrimage itineraries of the graves of the Roman martyrs (the ''Epitome de locis ss. martyrum'') Marcellinus' grave is expressly mentioned among the sacred tombs of the [[Catacomb of Priscilla]]. In early twentieth century excavations at this catacomb identified both the burial chamber of Marcellinus and the crypt of [[Saint Crescentius]], which lay beside it. However, no monument was discovered which referred to this pope.
  
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== References ==
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The fact that the author of the ''Liber Pontificalis'' used the lost martyrdom of Marcellinus, written probably in the fifth century, shows that he was honored as a martyr at that time. His name also appears in the martyrology of the [[Venerable Bede]], although this writer apparently drew his account from the "Liber Pontificalis."
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{{1911}}
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This feast of Pope Saint Marcellinus is on April 26. The official Catholic account of his life, which for centuries followed the story in the "Liber Pontificalis" concerning his lapse and his repentance, were altered in 1883, removing the reference to his martyrdom as well. Another Marcellinus—a priest who died in the persecution at Rome in 304—still appears in current lists of Catholic martyrs.
  
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==External information==
 
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*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09637d.htm Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913]
 
  
 
{{Pope before 376|
 
{{Pope before 376|
 
Predecessor=[[Pope Caius|Caius]]|
 
Predecessor=[[Pope Caius|Caius]]|
 
Successor=[[Pope Marcellus I|Marcellus I]]|Dates= '''June 30, 296&ndash; April 1, 304'''}}
 
Successor=[[Pope Marcellus I|Marcellus I]]|Dates= '''June 30, 296&ndash; April 1, 304'''}}
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==Notes==
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<references/>
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== References ==
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* Curtis, A. Kenneth, and Carsten Peter Thiede. ''From Christ to Constantine: The Trial and Testimony of the Early Church''. Worcester, Pa: Christian History Institute, 1991. ISBN 9781563642005.
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* Eno, Robert B. ''The Rise of the Papacy''. Wilmington, Del: M. Glazier, 1990. ISBN 9780814658024.
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* Farley, Lawrence R. ''A Daily Calendar of Saints''. Minneapolis: Light & Life Pub, 1997. ISBN 9781880971246.
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* Fortescue, Adrian. ''Early Papacy: To the Synod of Calcedon in 451''. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2008. ISBN 9781586171766.
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* Loomis, Louise Ropes. ''The Book of the Popes: To the Pontificate of Gregory I''. Merchantville N.J.: Evolution Pub, 2006. ISBN 9781889758862.
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* Maxwell-Stuart, P.G. ''Chronicle of the Popes: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Papacy from St. Peter to the Present''. Thames and Hudson, 1997. ISBN 0500017980.
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{{1911}}
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==External links==
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All links retrieved November 25, 2022.
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*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09637d.htm Marcellinus in the Catholic Encyclopedia]. ''www.newadvent.org''.
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Latest revision as of 04:03, 26 November 2022


Saint Marcellinus
Marcellinus.jpg
Birth name Marcellinus
Papacy began June 30, 296
Papacy ended April 1, 304 ?
Predecessor Caius
Successor Marcellus I
Born ???
Died April 1 304?
Rome

Pope Saint Marcellinus was the bishop of Rome beginning c. 296 until his death in c. 304 C.E. Although the majority of his pontificate was peaceful, his reign is particularly controversial, because he is believed by many to have committed the sin of apostasy while pope. Several sources indicated that Marcellinus sacrificed to pagan idols during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian, and only became a martyr after his conscience moved him to recant his apostasy.

Modern Catholic authorities dispute that Marcellinus succumbed to temptation under persecution, although for centuries his biography accepted the tradition that he indeed did so but had repented of his sin and redeemed himself by becoming a martyr. This feast of Pope Saint Marcellinus is on April 26.

Life

Little is known of Macellinus' history before he become pope. According to the Liber Pontificalis, he was a Roman citizen, the son of a certain Projectus. The Liberian Catalogue of popes gives June 30 as the day of his election, and the years 296-304 as the time of his pontificate.

Marcellinus’ pontificate began at a time when Diocletian was Roman Emperor but had not yet started to persecute the Christians. The emperor thus left Christianity relatively free, and so the church’s membership and influence grew. Diocletian first moved against Christianity in the year 302. Christian soldiers in the Roman army were forced to resign, and later the Church's property was confiscated and Christian books were destroyed. After two fires in Diocletian’s palace were blamed on the Christians, the emperor took harder measures: Christians had either to apostatize, or they were sentenced to death. The emperor's anti-Christian edicts in Rome were executed by Caesar Maximian, causing great difficulties in the Roman Church after 303. Marcellinus died in the second year of the persecution.

Contemporary sources do not mention him as a martyr. His name does not occur either in the list of martyrs or even in the list of the bishops in the fourth-century Roman Chronograph. Neither is he mentioned in the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum." However, in speaking of Marcellinus, the church historian Eusebius uses an obscure but perhaps telling expression: He was "overtaken by the persecution" (Hist. Eccl. VII, 32). From this, it seems that Eusebius believed he did not suffer martyrdom, in which case a different expression would have been used. However, others clearly believed that he did die a martyr's death, but only after first apostatizing. Indeed, some scholars believe that the reason he is omitted from some lists of martyrs and bishops is that he was considered unworthy of either title, perhaps simply committing apostasy and never repenting. In this theory, he was later rehabilitated to the status of a pope who had lapsed but soon repented and was then martyred.

Persecution

From 299 to 302, Diocletian's primary residence was in Antioch, where he carried out a cruel persecution against Manichaenism. By the autumn of 302, he turned the power of his office against the Christians. Diocletian ordered that Deacon Romanus of Caesarea have his tongue removed for interrupting official sacrifices. Romanus was later put to death on November 17, 303. At first, Diocletian limited his general proscriptions against Christianity to the ranks of the military. However, after seeking the advice of the oracle of Apollo at Didyma, he decided on a universal persecution.

On February 23, 303, Diocletian ordered that the newly built church at Nicomedia be razed. He also demanded that its scriptures be seized and burned, and that any precious items of the church be devoted to the state treasury. The next day, Diocletian's first Edict against the Christians was published. The order commanded the destruction of Christian scriptures and places of worship across the Empire and prohibited Christians from assembling for worship. Before the end of February, a fire destroyed part of the imperial palace. A second fire occurred 16 days after the first. Convinced that the culprits were Christians, Diocletian moved even more forcefully against the church until at least April 24, 303, when six individuals, including the bishop of Antioch, were decapitated. Antioch having become too unsafe in his opinion, Diocletian soon left the city for Rome. Further edicts followed, compelling the arrest of the Christian clergy and universal acts of pagan sacrifice to prove one's loyalty.

Apostasy

Reports indicate that during these persecutions, Marcellinus first gave up the sacred books and later offered incense to the gods rather than face martyrdom. The Liber Pontificalis, basing itself on the lost Acts of St Marcellinus, admits that during Diocletian’s persecution, Marcellinus indeed offered incense to Roman idols. "He was haled to sacrifice, that he might offer incense," it reports, "and he did it." However, it hastens to add that he repented shortly afterwards, confessing his faith in Christ, and suffering martyrdom with several companions. Other documents also speak of his temporary defection to paganism. One version of the story is preserved as follows:

Under the persecution of Diocletian, Marcellinus, the pope of Rome, was ordered to surrender the Scriptures, to sacrifice to the gods, and to offer incense—and he did. After his apostasy his conscience struck him mightily. He repented of his sin and confessed himself a Christian before the authorities. For this he was executed and crowned with the glory of martyrdom. His lapse and recovery show how God accepts repentance and how He exalts those who humble themselves before Him.[1]

The martyrdom of Pope Marcellinus.

In the beginning of the fifth century, before the above-mentioned reports were published, Petilianus, the Donatist bishop of Constantine, Algeria, affirmed that Marcellinus and his priests had given up the holy books to the pagans during the persecution and offered incense to false gods. Saint Augustine of Hippo, a leading anti-Donatist, denied the affair. Documents dealing with the confiscation of the church buildings at Rome, brought forward by Augustine during the Donatist controversy in Africa, mention only two Roman deacons as traitors who collaborated with Rome.

At the beginning of the sixth century, an apocryphal document appeared purporting to be the acts of the council of Sinuessa (located between Rome and Capua). This supposed synod of 300 bishops reportedly took place in 303 in order to inquire into the accusations against Marcellinus. On the first two days, Marcellinus had denied everything, but on the third day he admitted his lapse and repented. However, the synod passed no sentence on him, declaring itself incompetent to pass judgment on the Roman pontiff. When Diocletian learned of the decision, he had the pope and several bishops of this synod executed. However, historians almost unanimously agree that the "acts" of this council are forged.

Another tradition holds that Marcellinus repented to an assembly of bishops at Campania: "The pope dressed in sackcloth poured ashes over his head and entered the assembly and, before all, confessed his sin begging them (the bishops) to judge him." Told that he should execute sentence on himself, Marcellinus stripped himself of the priesthood, declared that he should not be buried in holy ground, and returned to Diocletian to confess his faith in Christ, whereupon he was beheaded. His body lay unburied for 36 days. Saint Peter appeared to the new pope, Marcellus and ordered that the body of Marcellinus be buried, saying: "He who humbles himself shall be exalted."

Modern Catholic tradition holds that "the pope did not comply with the imperial edict by any overt act, such as the surrender of the sacred writings, or even the offering of incense before the statue of a god."[2] It is notable in his defense that neither Eusebius nor Theodoret mentions Marcellinus' alleged apostasy. On the other hand, it is remarkable, that in the Roman Chronograph whose first edition was in 336, the name of this pope alone is missing, while all other popes from Lucius I onwards are listed.

If he was not martyred, then what did happen to Marcellinus? It is possible that he was able to hide himself in a safe place of concealment, as many other bishops did, and simply died of natural causes. But it is also possible that when the edict of outright persecution was issued, he somehow secured his own immunity—for instance through a bribe. In Roman Christian circles this would have been imputed to him as weakness, but not as apostasy; yet, his reputation would certainly have suffered from it. However, it is certain that his tomb was venerated by the Christians of Rome and that he was later recognized as a martyr.

Marcellinus died in 304, but the day of his death is not certain. In the Liber Pontificalis, his burial is dated as April 26. This may be a mistake, but this date is retained in the historical martyrologies of the ninth century and—based on them—in the later martyrologies. If the date of his death were calculated from the duration of his office given in the Liberian Catalogue, he would have died on October 24 or 25, 304. His body was interred in the Catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria, near the crypt of the martyr Saint Crescentius.

Legacy

During Marcellinus' pontificate, Armenia became the first Christian nation in 301. Some sources indicate that it was he who ordered the Catacomb of Callixtus filled with earth, to protect it from desecration.

Neither Marcellinus' martyrdom nor his apostasy is an established historical fact. However, it seems clear that the Roman church suffered considerably after his death, as well as during the two years preceding it. After a considerable interregnum, he was succeeded by Pope Marcellus I, with whom he has sometimes been confused due to the similarity of their names. The period during which the papal throne was unoccupied casts doubt on the tradition holding that his body lay unburied for 36 days until Saint Peter appeared and ordered the new Pope Marcellus to bury him.

The tomb of Marcellinus, however, was indeed venerated at an early date by the Christians of Rome. In one of the seventh century pilgrimage itineraries of the graves of the Roman martyrs (the Epitome de locis ss. martyrum) Marcellinus' grave is expressly mentioned among the sacred tombs of the Catacomb of Priscilla. In early twentieth century excavations at this catacomb identified both the burial chamber of Marcellinus and the crypt of Saint Crescentius, which lay beside it. However, no monument was discovered which referred to this pope.

The fact that the author of the Liber Pontificalis used the lost martyrdom of Marcellinus, written probably in the fifth century, shows that he was honored as a martyr at that time. His name also appears in the martyrology of the Venerable Bede, although this writer apparently drew his account from the "Liber Pontificalis."

This feast of Pope Saint Marcellinus is on April 26. The official Catholic account of his life, which for centuries followed the story in the "Liber Pontificalis" concerning his lapse and his repentance, were altered in 1883, removing the reference to his martyrdom as well. Another Marcellinus—a priest who died in the persecution at Rome in 304—still appears in current lists of Catholic martyrs.


Roman Catholic Popes
Preceded by:
Caius 		Bishop of Rome Pope
June 30, 296– April 1, 304 		Succeeded by: Marcellus I


Notes

  1. ↑ Farley, 1997.
  2. ↑ Catholic Encyclopedia, Pope St. Marcellinus. Retrieved July 4, 2008.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Curtis, A. Kenneth, and Carsten Peter Thiede. From Christ to Constantine: The Trial and Testimony of the Early Church. Worcester, Pa: Christian History Institute, 1991. ISBN 9781563642005.
  • Eno, Robert B. The Rise of the Papacy. Wilmington, Del: M. Glazier, 1990. ISBN 9780814658024.
  • Farley, Lawrence R. A Daily Calendar of Saints. Minneapolis: Light & Life Pub, 1997. ISBN 9781880971246.
  • Fortescue, Adrian. Early Papacy: To the Synod of Calcedon in 451. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2008. ISBN 9781586171766.
  • Loomis, Louise Ropes. The Book of the Popes: To the Pontificate of Gregory I. Merchantville N.J.: Evolution Pub, 2006. ISBN 9781889758862.
  • Maxwell-Stuart, P.G. Chronicle of the Popes: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Papacy from St. Peter to the Present. Thames and Hudson, 1997. ISBN 0500017980.


This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

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