Lives of the Popes

They Ruled East and West

So far in this series, we've seen a number of examples of early popes exercising authority over bishops and churches outside of Rome, and even outside of the West. As the documentary record improves, this becomes even clearer, and the popes in this installment, especially St. Innocent I, are striking for the extent to which they asserted their prerogative to govern the entire global Church. We also see evidence of the ancient discipline of clerical continence, the first instance of a person being executed for heresy, and the beginning of the Pelagian controversy. Covered in this episode are popes #38-40: St. Siricius, St. Anastasius I, and St. Innocent I. Links Pope St. Siricius's Decretal to Himerius https://earlychurchtexts.com/public/siricius_decretal_to_himerius.htm [https://earlychurchtexts.com/public/siricius_decretal_to_himerius.htm] Way of the Fathers on the Pelagian heresy https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/413-heresiespelagianism-and-seeds-calvinism/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/413-heresiespelagianism-and-seeds-calvinism/] SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/] DONATE at: http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio [http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio]

Pope St. Damasus, Patron of the Latin Bible

Pope St. Damasus I (reigned 366-384) commissioned St. Jerome to make a new translation of the Bible, defended the Church against heresy, promoted the prestige and practical authority of the papacy, and wrote verse epitaphs for the Roman martyrs. Links Article version https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/pope-st-damasus-patron-latin-bible/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/pope-st-damasus-patron-latin-bible/] "Defending St. Jerome's honor" https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/defending-st-jeromes-honor/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/defending-st-jeromes-honor/] Relevant Way of the Fathers episodes: Apollinarianism https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/414-heresiesapollinarius-monothelitism-human-suit/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/414-heresiesapollinarius-monothelitism-human-suit/] Macedonianism https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/412-heresies-spirit-fighters-aftermath-nicaea/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/412-heresies-spirit-fighters-aftermath-nicaea/] First Council of Constantinople https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/23-first-constantinople-capital-council/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/23-first-constantinople-capital-council/] SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters [https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters] DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio [http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio]

The First Non-Sainted Pope

Liberius (352-366) is not only the first pope in history not to be considered a saint in the Catholic Church, but is also often used by anti-Catholic critics to argue against papal infallibility - since he allegedly signed documents in favor of Arianism under duress from the emperor. Article: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/first-non-sainted-pope/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/first-non-sainted-pope/] SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters [https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters] DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio [http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio]

Sylvester and Constantine

The widespread persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire was finally over for good, beginning the "Peace of the Church". But the "Peace" could only be so peaceful, as internal dissension took the place of external foes, in the form of the Arian Crisis. This episode covers popes #33-35: Sts. Sylvester I, Mark, and Julius I. Links Way of the Fathers episodes: Council of Nicaea https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/22-council-nicaea-first-and-foremost/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/22-council-nicaea-first-and-foremost/] Arianism https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/411-heresies-arianism-man-who-became-god/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/411-heresies-arianism-man-who-became-god/] St. Athanasius https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-23athanasius-against-world/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-23athanasius-against-world/] SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters [https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters] DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio [http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio]

The Great Persecution

The first decade of the fourth century, from about 302 to 313, is one of the most remarkable in history. In that short time, the Church would go from the worst of persecutions to the beginning of an unprecedented new era of peace and favor. In what we might consider a foreshadowing of the Church's trials and final victory at the end of the world, the Great Persecution was merely the labor pains for the birth of Christendom. This installment covers popes #29-32: Sts. Marcellinus, Marcellus I, Eusebius, and Miltiades. Links Article version of this episode https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/great-persecution/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/great-persecution/] Phillip Cambell, "The Public Apostasy of Pope Marcellinus" https://unamsanctamcatholicam.com/2024/01/15/the-public-apostasy-of-pope-marcellinus/ [https://unamsanctamcatholicam.com/2024/01/15/the-public-apostasy-of-pope-marcellinus/] Way of the Fathers on Donatism https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/410-heresies-rebaptism-and-donatists/ [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/410-heresies-rebaptism-and-donatists/] SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters [https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters] DONATE to make this show possible! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio [http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio]