From The Lives of the Popes from the Time of our Saviour Jesus Christ to the Accession of Gregory VII. Written Originally in Latin by B. Platina, Native of Cremona, and translated into English (from an anonymous translation, first printed in 1685 by Sir Paul Rycaut), Edited by William Benham, Volume I, London: Griffith, Farran, Okeden & Welsh, [1888, undated in text]; pp. 113-115.
The Lives of the Popes,
BY
B. Platina
Volume I.
GELASIUS I.
A.D. 492-496.
GELASIUS, an African, son of Valerius, was bishop of Rome at the time when Theodoric made war upon his wife’s father, Clodoveus, the French king, for that he had slain his daughter’s husband, Alaric, king of the Visigoths, and seized Gascoigne. They were both allied to him by marriage; but the cause of Alaric seemed to him the more just, and therefore he preferred his son-in-law before his father-in-law. And gaining the victory over the French in a very important battle, he recovers Gascoigne, and undertakes the present government of it till Almaric, the son of Alaric, should come to age. The same Theodoric to his conquest of Italy added that of Sicily, Dalmatia, Liburnia, Illyricum, Gallia Narbonensis, and Burgundy. He also walled round the city of Trent, and to secure Italy from a foreign invasion, upon the frontiers 114 of it, near Aosta, placed the Heruli, whose king, being yet a minor, he made his adopted son.
Gelasius in the meantime condemns to banishment all the Manichees that should be found in the city, and causes their books to be publicly burnt near St Mary’s Church. And being satisfied of the repentance of Messenus, who had given in his retractation in writing, at the request of the synod he absolved him, and restored him to his bishopric. But having intelligence that several murders and other notorious outrages were committed in the Greek churches by the factious followers of Peter Mongus and Acacius, he forthwith sends his legates thither, with commission to excommunicate for ever all those who did not immediately recant their errors; a new and unusual severity, whereas the primitive church was wont to wait long in hopes that separatists would at length return to her bosom. At this time John, Bishop of Alexandria, an orthodox prelate, and who had been very much persecuted by these seditious people, fled for refuge to the Bishop of Rome, who very kindly and courteously received him. The churches which Gelasius consecrated were, that of St Euphemia the martyr in Tivoli, that of St Nicander and Eleutherius in the Via Labicana, and that of St Mary in the Via Laurentina, twenty miles from Rome. He had a great love and honour for the clergy, and was very liberal and charitable to the poor. He delivered the city of Rome from many dangers, and particularly from that of dearth and scarcity. He composed hymns in imitation of St Ambrose, published five books against Eutyches and Nestorius, and two against Arius, made very elegant and grave orations, and wrote weighty and learned epistles to his friends of the household of faith; all which works of his are at this time to be seen in the public libraries. Some tell us that he excommunicated Anastasius, successor to Zeno in the eastern empire, for favouring Acacius and other heretics; which is an argument as clear as the sun, that the Bishop of Rome has power to excommunicate any prince who is erroneous in the faith, if he continue refractory after admonition. The same course likewise he took with the Vandals and their king, who, being infected with the Arian heresy, proved now very cruel and barbarous persecutors of the orthodox. At the beginning of his pontificate lived Germanus and Epiphanius, the latter Bishop of Pavia, the former of Capua; men who by the authority which the sanctity of their lives had gained them, and by their 115 humble and obliging deportment, wrought so much upon the minds of the barbarous invaders, that afflicted Italy fared the better for their sakes. At the same time also, Lannociatus, Abbot of Chartres, with Aurelianus and Mezentius of Poictiers, persons of great piety and learning, gained so much ground in Gaul, that they persuaded Clodoveus the French king, and his queen, Crocildis, to become Christians, and to undertake the protection of the Catholic faith throughout their dominions; though some attribute this honour to Remigius, as hath been already said. Gelasius, having ordained thirty-two presbyters, two deacons, sixty-seven bishops, died, and was buried in St Peter’s Church, November 21st. He was in the chair four years, eight months, seventeen days; and by his death the see was vacant seven days.
Previous Pope: 50. Simplicius I. 51. Gelasius I. Next Pope: 52. Anastasius II.