Telesphorus
m |
m |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | {{ | + | {{Images OK}}{{submitted}} |
| + | {{epname|Telesphorus}} | ||
{{Infobox Pope| | {{Infobox Pope| | ||
English name=Saint Telesphorus| | English name=Saint Telesphorus| | ||
| Line 12: | Line 13: | ||
dead=dead|death_date=137| | dead=dead|death_date=137| | ||
deathplace=[[Rome]], [[Italy]]|}} | deathplace=[[Rome]], [[Italy]]|}} | ||
| + | '''Pope Saint Telesphorus''' was [[bishop of Rome]] c. 128 to 138 C.E., during the reigns of Roman Emperors [[Hadrian]] and [[Antoninus Pius]]. He was [[Greek people|Greek]] by birth, he is said to have been a [[monk]] before becoming a [[bishop]]. | ||
| − | + | [[Irenaeus|Irenaeus of Lyons]] recognized Telesphorus as a [[martyr]], the first of the Roman bishops whom Irenaeus designates as such after [[Saint Peter]]. In the [[Roman Martyrology]] his feast is celebrated on January 2. The Greek Church celebrates it on February 22. | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | The | + | The ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'' credits him with intiating the tradition of [[Christmas]] Midnight [[mass (liturgy)|mass]]es, the celebration of [[Easter]] on [[Sunday]]s, the keeping of a seven-week [[Lent]] before Easter, and the singing of the ''[[Gloria in Excelsis Deo]]''. However, [[historian]]s doubt that such attributions are accurate, except that there is indeed evidence that he celebrated Easter on Sunday. |
| − | + | Some sources depict Telesphorus as previously being a [[hermit]] living on [[Mount Carmel]], and the [[Carmelites]] thus venerate him as a [[patron saint]] of the order. | |
| − | The [[ | + | ==Biography== |
| + | Telesphorus is traditionally reckoned as being the seventh Roman bishop in succession after [[Saint Peter]]. The ''Liber Pontificalis'' mentions that he had been an [[anchorite]] (or hermit) [[monk]] prior to assuming office. According to the testimony of [[Irenæus]] (''Against Heresies'' III.3.3), he suffered a "glorious" martyrdom. Although all early popes are called martyrs by sources such as the ''Liber Ponificalis'', Telesphorus is the first to whom Ireneaus, writing considerably earlier, gives this title. | ||
| − | + | [[Eusebius]] (Church History iv.7; iv.14) places the beginning of his pontificate in the twelfth year of the reign of Emperor [[Hadrian]] (128-129) and gives the date of his death as being in the first year of the reign of [[Antoninus Pius]] (138-139). | |
| + | |||
| + | A fragment of a letter from Irenæus to Pope [[Victor I]] during the [[Easter]] controversy in the late second century, also preserved by Eusebius, testifies that Telesphorus was one of the Roman bishops who always celebrated Easter on [[Sunday]], rather than on other days of the week according to the calculation of the Jewish [[Passover]]. Unlike Victor, however, Telesphorus remained in [[communion]] with those communities that did not follow this custom. | ||
| + | |||
| + | None of the other statements as to the liturgical and other decisions instituted by Telesphorus are considered accurate, even by Catholic scholars, as they are based on sources of a later date which display an agenda intended to prove the [[papacy]]'s authority by exaggerating its legislative role. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In the current ''Roman Martyrology'' his feast is listed under January 2. The [[Greek Orthodox Church]] celebrates it on February 22. The Telesphorus commemorated on January 5 in the earlier General Roman Calendar (as in 1954) was in fact not the Pope but an otherwise unknown [[Africa Province|African]] martyr. | ||
{{start}} | {{start}} | ||
| Line 35: | Line 38: | ||
{{s-aft|after=[[Pope Hyginus|Hyginus]]}} | {{s-aft|after=[[Pope Hyginus|Hyginus]]}} | ||
{{end}} | {{end}} | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | *Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. ''The Penguin Dictionary of Saints''. 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN 0140513124. | + | * Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. ''The Penguin Dictionary of Saints''. 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN 0140513124. |
| − | * | + | * Benedict XVI ''The Roman Martyrology'' Gardners Books, 2007. ISBN 9780548133743 |
| + | * Chapman, John. ''Studies on the Early Papacy''. Port Washington, N.Y.: Kennikat Press, 1971. ISBN 9780804611398 | ||
| + | * Fortescue, Adrian, and Scott M. P. Reid. ''The Early Papacy: To the Synod of Chalcedon in 451''. Southampton: Saint Austin Press, 1997. ISBN 9781901157604 | ||
| + | * Loomis, Louise Ropes. ''The Book of Popes'' '''(Liber Pontificalis)''', Merchantville, NJ: Evolution Publishing. ISBN 1889758868 (Reprint of the 1916 edition. Stops with Pope Pelagius, 579-590. English translation with scholarly footnotes, and illustrations). | ||
| − | + | ''This article incorporates text from the public-domain [[Catholic Encyclopedia]] of 1913.'' | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
{{Popes}} | {{Popes}} | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Telesphorus}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Telesphorus}} | ||
| Line 58: | Line 57: | ||
[[Category:Christianity]] | [[Category:Christianity]] | ||
[[Category:biography]] | [[Category:biography]] | ||
| + | [[Category:popes]] | ||
{{credit|254307518}} | {{credit|254307518}} | ||
Revision as of 02:34, 22 December 2008
| Saint Telesphorus | |
|---|---|
| 150px | |
| Birth name | Telesphorus |
| Papacy began | 126 |
| Papacy ended | 137 |
| Predecessor | Sixtus I |
| Successor | Hyginus |
| Born | ??? Greece |
| Died | 137 Rome, Italy |
Pope Saint Telesphorus was bishop of Rome c. 128 to 138 C.E., during the reigns of Roman Emperors Hadrian and Antoninus Pius. He was Greek by birth, he is said to have been a monk before becoming a bishop.
Irenaeus of Lyons recognized Telesphorus as a martyr, the first of the Roman bishops whom Irenaeus designates as such after Saint Peter. In the Roman Martyrology his feast is celebrated on January 2. The Greek Church celebrates it on February 22.
The Liber Pontificalis credits him with intiating the tradition of Christmas Midnight masses, the celebration of Easter on Sundays, the keeping of a seven-week Lent before Easter, and the singing of the Gloria in Excelsis Deo. However, historians doubt that such attributions are accurate, except that there is indeed evidence that he celebrated Easter on Sunday.
Some sources depict Telesphorus as previously being a hermit living on Mount Carmel, and the Carmelites thus venerate him as a patron saint of the order.
Biography
Telesphorus is traditionally reckoned as being the seventh Roman bishop in succession after Saint Peter. The Liber Pontificalis mentions that he had been an anchorite (or hermit) monk prior to assuming office. According to the testimony of Irenæus (Against Heresies III.3.3), he suffered a "glorious" martyrdom. Although all early popes are called martyrs by sources such as the Liber Ponificalis, Telesphorus is the first to whom Ireneaus, writing considerably earlier, gives this title.
Eusebius (Church History iv.7; iv.14) places the beginning of his pontificate in the twelfth year of the reign of Emperor Hadrian (128-129) and gives the date of his death as being in the first year of the reign of Antoninus Pius (138-139).
A fragment of a letter from Irenæus to Pope Victor I during the Easter controversy in the late second century, also preserved by Eusebius, testifies that Telesphorus was one of the Roman bishops who always celebrated Easter on Sunday, rather than on other days of the week according to the calculation of the Jewish Passover. Unlike Victor, however, Telesphorus remained in communion with those communities that did not follow this custom.
None of the other statements as to the liturgical and other decisions instituted by Telesphorus are considered accurate, even by Catholic scholars, as they are based on sources of a later date which display an agenda intended to prove the papacy's authority by exaggerating its legislative role.
In the current Roman Martyrology his feast is listed under January 2. The Greek Orthodox Church celebrates it on February 22. The Telesphorus commemorated on January 5 in the earlier General Roman Calendar (as in 1954) was in fact not the Pope but an otherwise unknown African martyr.
| Roman Catholic Popes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Sixtus I |
Bishop of Rome Pope 125–136 |
Succeeded by: Hyginus |
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. The Penguin Dictionary of Saints. 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN 0140513124.
- Benedict XVI The Roman Martyrology Gardners Books, 2007. ISBN 9780548133743
- Chapman, John. Studies on the Early Papacy. Port Washington, N.Y.: Kennikat Press, 1971. ISBN 9780804611398
- Fortescue, Adrian, and Scott M. P. Reid. The Early Papacy: To the Synod of Chalcedon in 451. Southampton: Saint Austin Press, 1997. ISBN 9781901157604
- Loomis, Louise Ropes. The Book of Popes (Liber Pontificalis), Merchantville, NJ: Evolution Publishing. ISBN 1889758868 (Reprint of the 1916 edition. Stops with Pope Pelagius, 579-590. English translation with scholarly footnotes, and illustrations).
This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.
| ||||||||||||||||
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
