Pope Felix IV
Pope Saint Felix IV (III) | |
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Papacy began | 12 July 526 |
Papacy ended | 22 September 530 |
Predecessor | John I |
Successor | Boniface II |
Personal details | |
Born | Samnium, Ostrogothic Kingdom |
Died | 22 September 530 |
Sainthood | |
Feast day | 30 January |
Other popes named Felix |
Papal styles of Pope Felix IV | |
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Reference style | His Holiness |
Spoken style | Your Holiness |
Religious style | Holy Father |
Posthumous style | Saint |
Pope Felix IV (III) (died 22 September 530) served as the Pope of the Catholic Church from 12 July 526 to his death in 530.[1]
Biography
He came from Samnium, the son of one Castorius. Following the death of Pope John I at the hands of the Ostrogoth King Theodoric the Great, the papal voters gave in to the king's demands and chose Cardinal Felix as Pope. Felix's favor in the eyes of the king caused him to push for greater benefits for the Church.
He was elected after a gap of nearly two months after the death of John I. During his reign, an Imperial edict was passed granting that cases against clergy should be dealt with by the Pope. He defined church teaching on grace and free will in response to a request of Faustus of Riez, in Gaul, on opposing Semi-Pelagianism.
Felix attempted to designate his own successor: Pope Boniface II. The reaction of the Senate was to forbid the discussion of a pope’s successor during his lifetime or to accept such a nomination. The majority of the clergy reacted to Felix's activity by nominating Dioscorus as Pope. Only a minority supported Boniface.
Felix built the Santi Cosma e Damiano in the Imperial forums. His feast day is celebrated on 30 January.[1]
Note on numbering
When regnal numbering of the Popes began to be used, Antipope Felix II was counted as one of the Popes of that name. The second true Pope Felix is thus known by the number III, and the true third Pope Felix was given the number IV. This custom also affected the name taken by Antipope Felix V, who would have been the fourth Pope Felix.
See also
References
- 1 2 Kirsch, Johann Peter (1913). "Pope St. Felix IV". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Felix IV. |
Wikisource has the text of the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article Pope St. Felix IV. |
- Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes
- Fontes Latinae de papis usque ad annum 530
- Liber pontificalis
Catholic Church titles | ||
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Preceded by John I |
Pope 526–530 |
Succeeded by Boniface II |
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