Pope Cornelius
Pope Cornelius (died June 253) was the Bishop of Rome from 6 or 13 March 251 to his martyrdom in 253.[1]
1 Christian persecution
Emperor Decius, who ruled from 249 to 251 AD, per- secuted Christians in the Roman Empire rather sporadi- cally and locally, but starting January in the year 250, he ordered all citizens to perform a religious sacrifice in the presence of commissioners, or else face death.[2] Many Christians refused and were martyred (possibly including the pope, St Fabian, on 20 January), while others partook in the sacrifices in order to save their own lives.[3] Two schools of thought arose after the persecution. One side, led by Novatian, who was a priest in the diocese of Rome, believed that those who had stopped practising Christian- ity during the persecution could not be accepted back into the church even if they repented. Under this philosophy, the only way to re-enter the church would be re-baptism. The opposing side, including Cornelius and Cyprian the Bishop of Carthage, did not believe in the need for re- baptism. Instead they thought that the sinners should only need to show contrition and true repentance to be wel- comed back into the church.[4] In hopes that Christian- ity would fade away, Decius prevented the election of a new pope. However, soon afterwards Decius was forced to leave the area to fight the invading Goths and while he was away the elections for pope were held.[3] In the 14 months without a pope, the leading candidate, Moses, had died under the persecution. Novatian believed that he would be elected, however Cornelius was unwillingly elected the twenty-first pope in March 251.[4]
2 Papacy
Novatian was very angry not only that he was not elected pope, but that someone who did not believe in rebaptism was. He thus proclaimed himself the antipope to Cor- nelius, driving a schism through the church. After Cor- Pope Cornelius nelius’s appointment to the papacy, Novatian became more rigorous in his philosophy, convinced that bishops could not pardon the worst of sins, and that such sins could only be reconciled at the Last Judgment.[5] Cor- nelius’s next action was to convene a synod of 60 bishops nelius had the support of St. Cyprian, St. Dionysius, to restate himself as the rightful pope and the council and most African and Eastern bishops while Novatian had excommunicated Novatian as well as all Novatianists. the support of a minority of clergy and laymen in Rome Also addressed in the synod was that Christians who who did not acknowledge Cornelius as pope.[4] Cor- stopped practising during Emperor Decius’s persecution
1 2 5 VENERATION
could receive communion only after doing penance.[4][5] mandates have shaped the church in historic ways. The verdict of the synod was sent to the Christian bish- ops, most notably the bishop of Antioch, a fierce Novatian supporter, in order to convince him to accept Cornelius’s 5 Veneration power. The letters that Cornelius sent to surrounding bishops provide knowledge of the size of the church dur- ing the period. Cornelius mentions that at the time, the Roman Church had, “forty six priests, seven deacons, seven sub-deacons, forty two acolytes, fifty two ostiarii, and over one thousand five hundred widows and persons in distress.”[5] His letters also inform that Cornelius had a staff of over 150 clergy members and the church fed over 1,500 people daily.[6][7] From these numbers, it has been estimated that there were at least 50,000 Christians in Rome during the papacy of Pope Cornelius.[4]
3 Death and letters
In June 251, Decius was killed in battle with the Goths; immediately following this Trebonianus Gallus became Emperor. Persecution began again in June 252, and Pope Cornelius was exiled to Centumcellae, Italy, where he died in June 253. The Liberian catalogue lists his death as being from the hardships of banishment; however, later sources claim he was beheaded. Cornelius is not buried in the chapel of the popes, but in a nearby catacomb, and the inscription on his tomb is in Latin, instead of the Greek of his predecessor Pope Fabian and successor Lucius I. It reads, “Cornelius Martyr.” The letters Cornelius sent Relic of Pope Cornelius in Kornelimünster while in exile are all written in the colloquial Latin of the period instead of the classical style used by the educated Some of his relics were taken to Germany during the such as Cyprian, a theologian as well as a bishop, and No- Middle Ages; his head was claimed by Kornelimünster [5] vatian, who was also a philosopher. This suggests that Abbey near Aachen.[11] In the Rhineland, he was also a Cornelius did not come from an extremely wealthy fam- patron saint of lovers.[11] A legend associated with Cor- ily and thus was not given a sophisticated education as a nelius tells of a young artist who was commissioned to child. A letter from Cornelius while in exile mentions an decorate the Corneliuskapelle in the Selikum quarter of office of extquotedblexorcist extquotedbl in the church Neuss. The daughter of a local townsman fell in love with [8] for the first time. Canon law dictated that each diocese the artist, but her father forbade the marriage, remarking must have an exorcist, a tradition that continued until the that he would only consent if the pope did as well. Mirac- [9] minor orders were suppressed by Paul VI in 1972. ulously, the statue of Cornelius leaned forward from the altar and blessed the pair, and the two lovers were thus married.[11] 4 Referenced in history Cornelius, along with Quirinus of Neuss, Hubertus and Anthony the Great, was venerated as one of the Four St. Cornelius is not mentioned much in most texts. When Holy Marshals in the Rhineland during the late Middle he is referenced, it seems to be in conjunction with Ages.[12][13][14][15] his anti-pope Novatian, who eventually founded his own church with his own bishops; his predecessor St Fabian; A legend told at Carnac states that its stones were once [10] pagan soldiers who had been turned into stone by Cor- or his successor St. Lucius. His papacy was short, [16][17] reigning two years, three months, and ten days, and little nelius, who was fleeing from them. was probably circulated at the time due to the persecution The Catholic Church commemorated Cornelius by ven- in Christian centers.[5] Over time, St. Cornelius seems erating him, with his Saint’s Day on 16 September, which to have been overlooked and passed over for other great he shares with his good friend St. Cyprian.[18] His Saint’s Catholic popes whose papacies lasted longer, had more Day was originally on 14 September, the date on which political power, and influenced other cultures. However, both St. Cyprian and St. Cornelius were martyred, while Cornelius is a rather obscure religious figure, his as proposed by St. Jerome.[5] St. Cornelius’s saintly 3 name means “battle horn”, and he is represented in icons 7 References by a pope either holding some form of cow’s horn or [11] with a cow nearby. He is the patron against earache, • “A bit of exorcist history.” National Catholic Re- epilepsy, fever, twitching, and also of cattle, domestic porter 36.38 (September 1, 2000): 6. General One- animals, earache sufferers, epileptics, and the town of File. Gale. Sacred Heart Preparatory (BAISL). [19] Kornelimünster, Germany where his head is located. 5 December 2008
[7] Schrembs, Joseph. “The Catholic Philosophy of History.” • Moody Smith, D. “Review: The Rise of Christian- The Catholic Historical Review 20 (1934): 1–22. ity: A Review.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 54 (1986): 337–42. [8] Allen, John L Jr (September 1, 2000), A bit of exorcist history, National Catholic Reporter • “Novatian.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica On- [9] Paul VI, Ministeria Quædam, The Vatican line School Edition. 7 December 2008 [10] “Novatian.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopæ-
[17] France Holidays, Brittany
[18] “Saint Cornelius.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. 8 External links Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 24 November 2008
[19] “Pope Saint Cornelius.” Patron Saints Index. 7 December 2008. 4 9 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES
9 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses
9.1 Text
• Pope Cornelius Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Cornelius?oldid=630357984 Contributors: Danny, 0, Zoe, Leandrod, Llywrch, Mpolo, Angela, Andres, John K, Denny, Vargenau, Adam Bishop, Dogface, Lord Emsworth, Wetman, Dimadick, Robbot, Pibwl, Geogre, GreatWhiteNortherner, Revth, MichaelHaeckel, Andycjp, Jonel, Klemen Kocjancic, Rich Farmbrough, Bender235, Mwanner, SVera1NY, Polylerus, Caeruleancentaur, Dtobias, Jef-Infojef, Nuno Tavares, Woohookitty, FeanorStar7, Rjwilmsi, Xosé, Kalogeropoulos, FlaBot, Vil- cxjo, Alphachimp, CiaPan, Chobot, Jaraalbe, YurikBot, Gaius Cornelius, Stephen Burnett, E123, Aaron Brenneman, Cinik, Aremisasling, Anclation, Philip Stevens, Attilios, SmackBot, Unyoyega, Korossyl, Gilliam, Carl.bunderson, Pstraten, Bluebot, Matt 314, GoodDay, Scw- long, Jmlk17, Savidan, Bwpach, RekishiEJ, Drinibot, Bilcarter, ShelfSkewed, Cydebot, Walgamanus, Thijs!bot, Mbell, Deipnosophista, Escarbot, JAnDbot, NoDepositNoReturn, STBot, DrKiernan, Yonidebot, Spaceflower, Joost 99, Student7, Funandtrvl, VolkovBot, WOSlinker, Philip Trueman, TXiKiBoT, John Carter, JhsBot, BotKung, Beallthere, Fraxinus Croat, Satan165, SieBot, WereSpielChequers, Shredder32, Keilana, Ljpernic, SpellingGuru, Bede735, BenoniBot, Vanished user ewfisn2348tui2f8n2fio2utjfeoi210r39jf, Bepimela, Tradereddy, Trivialist, Iohannes Animosus, Elizium23, Masternachos, DumZiBoT, MystBot, Kace7, Bazj, Addbot, Underwaterbuffalo, NjardarBot, ShepBot, Lightbot, Luckas-bot, Yobot, Ptbotgourou, KamikazeBot, Rubinbot, Thegoodearth, Citation bot, Bob Burkhardt, ArthurBot, LilHelpa, Xqbot, DSisyphBot, Rocker1955, GrouchoBot, Fiskehaps, GhalyBot, Vlastimil Svoboda, LucienBOT, Jonesey95, RedBot, MastiBot, Gid7, Esoglou, EmausBot, Stebunik, PBS-AWB, SporkBot, Chewings72, ClueBot NG, Mirror symmetry, Sleddog116, El Libro, CityOfSilver, BattyBot, ACBahn, TheNusz, Jsepe, Unixbytes90, Evensteven and Anonymous: 37
9.2 Images
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