12
July 526 A.D. Felix IV
Consecrated as Rome’s 54th; Arian Gothic King Theodoric; Semi-Pelagianism in Gaul; Synod of Orange (529); Council of Arles
Pope St. Felix
IV
(Reigned
526-530).
On 18 May, 526, Pope John I died
in prison at Ravenna, a victim of the angry suspicions
of Theodoric, the Arian king of the Goths. When, through the
powerful influence of this ruler, the cardinal-priest, Felix of
Samnium, son of Castorius,
was brought forward in Rome as John's successor,
the clergy and laity yielded
to the wish of the Gothic king and
chose Felix pope. He was consecrated Bishop of Rome 12
July, 526, and took advantage of the favor he enjoyed at the court of Theodoric to
further the interests of the Roman Church,
discharging the duties of his
office in a most worthy manner. On 30 August, 526, Theodoric died,
and, his grandson Athalaric
being a minor,
the government was conducted by Athalaric's mother Amalasuntha,
daughter of Theodoric and
favorably disposed towards the Catholics. To
the new ruler the Roman clergy addressed
a complaint on the usurpation of their privileges by the civil power. A
royal edict, drawn up by Cassiodorus in
terms of the deepest respect for the papal authority, confirmed the
ancient custom that
every civil or criminal charge of a layman against a cleric should
be submitted to the pope, or to an ecclesiastical court appointed
by him. A fine of ten pounds of gold was imposed as a punishment for the
violation of this order, and the money thus obtained was to be distributed
amongst the poor by the pope (Cassiodorus,
"Variae", VIII, n. 24, ed. Mommsen, "Mon. Germ. Hist.: Auctores antiquiss.",
XII, 255) The pope received
as a gift from Amalasuntha two
ancient edifices in the Roman Forem, the Temple of Romulus,
son of the Emperor Maxentius, and
the adjoining Templum
sacroeurbis, the Roman land
registry office. The pope converted the
buildings into the Church of SS. Cosmas and Damian,
which still exists and in the apse of
which is preserved the large and magnificent mosaic executed by
order of Felix,
the figure of the pope, however, being a
later restoration (see COSMAS
AND DAMIAN). Felix also
took part in the so-called Semipelagian conflict
in Southern Gaul concerning
the nature and
efficiency of grace.
He sent to the bishops of
those parts a series of "Capitula", regarding grace and free will,
compiled from Scripture and
the Fathers.
These capitula were published as canons at the Synod of Orange (529).
In addition Felix approved
the work of Caesarius of Arles against Faustus of Riez on grace and free will (De
gratia et libero arbitrio). Rendered anxious
by the political dissensions of the Romans,
many of whom stood for the interests of Byzantium,
while others supported Gothic Rule, Felix
IV, when he fell seriously ill in the year 530, wished to ensure the peace of
the Roman Church by
naming his successor.
Having given over to Archdeacon
Boniface his pallium, he made it known publicly
that he had chosen Boniface to succeed him,
and that he had apprised the court of Ravenna of his action ("Neues
Archiv", XI, 1886, 367; Duchesne, "Liber Pontificalis", I,
282, note 4).Felix IV died soon afterwards, but in the papal
election which
followed his wishes were disregarded (see BONIFACE II). The feast of Felix
IV is celebrated on 30 January. The day of his death is uncertain, but it was
probably towards the end of September, 530.
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