The
Papacy - A Historical Perspective
440-492 A.D.
St. Leo I : 440-461 A.D.
45. Born in the Tuscia region. Elected November 29 - died September
10, 461.
Leo was called “the Great“ for his
energetic and able work in
maintaining the unity of the
church.
He called the 4th Ecumenical Council and defined the mystery
of the incarnation.
He went to confront Attila, King of the Huns, and induced him
to with draw from
coming to Rome.
He was buried in the old Constantinian Basilica on the site which
is today called “Cappella della Colonna”. His pontificate lasted 21
years.
St. Hilarus : 461-468 A.D.
46. Born in Cagliari. Elected November 19, 461 - died February 29,
468.
With his political matters he followed
the school of his great
predecessor.
He established
that a certain level of culture was necessary to become a priest and decided
that neither a
Pope nor the bishops could nominate their successors.
He instituted an Apostolic Vicariate
in Spain and founded two libraries at the Basilica of San Giovanni in
Laterano. The
libraries were later rearranged by Nicholas V and then transferred to
the Vatican; they
became the first nucleus of the Vatican Library.
He is buried in the Roman Basilica of San
Lorenzo Fuori le Mura. He governed for almost 7 years.
St. Simplicius : 468-483 A.D.
47. Born in Tivoli. Elected March 3, 468 - died March 10, 483.
During his pontificate the Western
Empire came to an end and
the schism led to the
founding of the churches of Armenia, Syria and Egypt (Copts).
He regulated the
distribution of offerings to the pilgrims and new churches.
He was the first Pope that
addressed an emperor using the formula “Dear son”.
He subdivided Rome into five
districts, the same number as that of the roman Basilicas.
He is buried in the St. Peter’s
Basilica. He was a pontiff for 15 years.
St. Felix III : 483-492 A.D.
48. Born in rome. elected March 13, 483 - died March 1st, 492.
He tried to restore peace in the
turmoiled Eastern Church.
Before being elected he
had sons, one of them was the father of the famous St. Gregory the
Great.
He
wished to be buried in the Basilica of San Paolo Fuori le Mura, Where
his family tomb was
located. He is the only Pope buried in this Basilica. His pontificate
lasted 9 years.
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Index of Roman
Pontiffs
Introduction
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