THE BISHOPS OF ROME [42-590 A.D.]

T1he early history of the Papacy is involved in much obscurity. For the early centuries we shall attempt little more than to repeat the names of the successive bishops, as accepted by the traditions of the church of Rome. According to these traditions, the Apostle =Peter= founded the Church in the year 42 (modern criticism does not accept this date, which is almost surely too early by about a score of years); he was martyred in 67, and succeeded by =Linus=, who was followed in 79 by =Cletus= or =Anacletus=. 91, =Clement I= or =Clemens Romanus=. Some writers make him the third bishop in 68 A.D. 100, =Evarestus=.

2109 =Alexander I.= The political life of Rome extinguished by the empire, begins to revive in the organisation of the Christian church. 119, =Sixtus I=. 129, =Telesphorus=. 139, =Hyginus=. 143, =Pius I=. 157, =Anicetus=. 168, =Soter=. 177, =Eleutherius=. 193, =Victor I=. The bishop of Rome is beginning to assume supremacy over other bishops. This is resented in some quarters.

3202 =Zephyrinus.= 219, =Calixtus I=. 223, =Urban I=. 230, =Pontianus=. 235, =Anterius=. 236, =Fabianus=. 251, =Cornelius=. 252, =Lucius I=. 253, =Stephen I=. 257, =Sixtus II=. 259, =Dionysius=. 269, =Felix I=. 275, =Eutychianus=. 283, =Caius=. 296, =Marcellinus=.

4308 =Marcellus I.= 310, =Eusebius=. 311, =Melchiades=. 314, =Silvester I=. 325, The authority of the metropolitan is distinctly recognised. The idea has been developing since the primacy of Fabianus and Cornelius. 330, Removal of the capital from Rome to Constantinople. This increases greatly the power of the Roman bishop, who henceforth announces his supremacy in more decided tones. 336, =Marcus I=. 337, =Julius I=. He is the recognised protector of the orthodox faith against Arianism and other heresies. The church begins to organise landed properties by bequests from emperors and nobles.

5352 =Liberius.= 356, First instance of schism in the church of Rome. _Felix_ maintains a rival claim to the primacy.

6366 =Damasus I= elected to the see, after a bitter and violent contest, over his rival, Ursinus. Damasus represents the cause of orthodoxy. 384, =Siricius=. In his primacy the decretals--pastoral letters--are begun.

7398 =Anastasius I.= The papacy has emerged from obscurity. Paganism is in its death throes.

8402 =Innocent I.= He does much to free the church from political interference. 417, =Zosimus=. He attempts to temporise with paganism.

9418 =Boniface I.= His election is contested. _Eulalius_ maintains a rival claim. The emperor Honorius intervenes, and the provisions for election are revised. This is the first instance of imperial interference.

10422 =Celestine I.= 432, =Sixtus III=. 440, =Leo (I) the Great=, sometimes called the real founder of the papacy. The precedence of the bishops of Rome is now fully recognised. 461, =Hilarius=. 468, =Simplicius=. 476, The fall of the Western Empire increases the bishops’ authority. 483, =Felix II= (or =III=, if the rival bishop in 356 is reckoned as Felix II). He feels himself powerful enough to summon the patriarch of Constantinople to Rome, and excommunicates him on his refusal to obey. 492, =Gelasius I=. He enunciates the principle that his acts are not to be controlled by synods. 496, =Anastasius II=. 498, =Symmachus=. The election is contested by _Laurentius_, who maintains a rival claim. The Palmary synod disavows its own right to sit in judgment on the acts of the Roman bishop.

11514 =Hormisdas.= 523, =John I=. Theodoric sends John to Constantinople to obtain indulgence for the Arians. Not entirely successful, Theodoric imprisons the bishop on his return (525), and he dies the following year. 526, =Felix III= or =IV=. Dionysius Exiguus collects and publishes the canons of the councils and the papal decretals. 530, =Boniface II=. His election contested by _Dioscorus_ until the latter’s death, the same year. Boniface obtains the power of appointing his own successor, but a second synod annuls it.

12532 =John II.= 535, =Agapetus I=. Theodotus sends him to Constantinople in his behalf. 536, Belisarius enters Rome; the pope becomes the vassal of the emperor. =Silverius.= 537, Through the intrigues of the empress Theodora and the deacon Vigilius, Silverius is deposed and banished to the island of Pandataria. =Vigilius= becomes bishop of Rome. The bishops now become mere puppets of the Eastern court.

13552 Vigilius, resisting the will of Justinian, is imprisoned.

14553 Vigilius again seized, and sent to exile.

15554 =Pelagius I.= 560, =John III=. 574, =Benedict I=. 578, =Pelagius II=.

16FROM GREGORY THE GREAT TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PAPACY AS A