Pope Simplicius

Pope Saint

Simplicius
Pope Saint; Simplicius
Bishop of Rome
Church	Catholic Church
Diocese	Rome
See	Holy See
Papacy began	25 February 468
Papacy ended	2 or 10 March 483
Predecessor	Hilarius
Successor	Felix III
Personal details
Born	Tivoli, Western Roman Empire
Died	10 March 483; Rome, Kingdom of Odoacer
Sainthood
Feast day	10 March
Venerated in	Orthodox, Catholic

Pope Simplicius (died 2 or 10 March 483) was the bishop of Rome from 468 to his death. He combated the Eutychian heresy, ended the practice of consecrating bishops only in December, and sought to offset the effects of Germanic invasions.

Election[]

Simplicius was born in Tivoli, Italy, the son of a citizen named Castinus.^[1] After a vacancy of 10 days following the death of Pope Hilarius, Simplicius was consecrated on 25 February 468.^[2]

Pontificate[]

Simplicius defended the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon against the Eutychian heresy. When the Eutychians rose up in Antioch and installed Petrus Mongus, Simplicius made repeated complaints for action to Basiliscus and Leo I, emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire, for the restoration of the Catholic bishop; he did the same when Petrus Fullo usurped the seat of the patriarch of Alexandria. He rehabilitated Patriarch Timotheos Solofaciolus.^[3] In 478, Simplicius held a synod in Rome, which pronounced anathemas against eastern heretical bishops Peter Fullo, John of Apamea, and Paul of Ephesus.^[4] Simplicius worked to maintain the authority of Rome in the West.^[1] He named Zeno, Bishop of Hispalis (Seville) as Papal Vicar in Spain.^[5]

In 482, Bishop Gregory of Modena was consecrated a bishop against his will by Archbishop Joannes I of Ravenna. This brought the archbishop a sharp rebuke from Pope Simplicius.^[6]

According to the Carolingian liturgist Amalarius of Metz, Pope Simplicius was the first pope to carry out consecrations at any other time than in December before Christmas. He began to confer holy orders in February as well.^[7]

Simplicius is credited with the construction of a church named Santa Bibiana, in memory of the virgin and martyr St. Bibiana. He also dedicated the Church of San Stefano Rotondo on the Celian Hill, the church of S. Andrea near S. Maria Maggiore, and a church dedicated to Saint Lawrence in the Campo Verano.^[8] He labored to help the people of Italy against the marauding raids of barbarian invaders. He saw the Heruliian mercenaries revolt, depose Romulus Augustulus, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, and proclaim Odoacer king of Italy in 476.^[9] Odoacer made few changes in the administration in Rome, leaving the city firmly in the hands of its bishop, Simplicius.

Death and aftermath[]

He was buried in the Basilica of St. Peter on 2 March 483. Rome was without a pope for six days.^[10] Since 1971,^[11] St. Simplicius's feast day is celebrated on 10 March.^[12]^[1]

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c J. P. Kirsch, "Simplicius, Pope St." Catholic Encyclopedia. Volume XIV. New York: Appleton. 1912. pp. 2–3. |volume= has extra text (help)
^ Thiel, p. 174 §1. Jaffḗ, Regesta pontificum Romanorum, p. 77. The date is calculated, from his date of death and the length of his reign, fifteen years and seven days.
^ Thiel, p. 174 §2. Loomis, pp. 97-99; 106 note 2.
^ Karl Joseph von Hefele (1895). W. R. Clark (ed.). A History of the Councils of the Church, from the Original Documents. Volume IV. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. pp. 26–29. |volume= has extra text (help) In a letter which Thiel (pp. 189-192) dated to October 477, Pope Simplicius wrote to the Patriarch Acacius about what he thought should be done about the heretic bishops.
^ Thiel, pp. 213-214.
^ Thiel, pp. 201-202. Kehr, Paul Fridolin (1906), Italia Pontificia Vol. V: Aemilia, sive Provincia Ravennas (Berlin: Weidmann), pp. (in Latin). p. 301 no. 1. Lanzoni, Francesco (1927). Le diocesi d'Italia dalle origini al principio del secolo VII (an. 604) (Faenza: F. Lega), p. 793, no. 4. (in Italian)
^ Thiel, p. 175. Edmond Martḕne pointed out that this was the beginning of the custom of the Quattuor Temporum.
^ Duchesne, p. 249-250. Loomis, p. 106.
^ Butler, Alban.Lives of the Saints, Benziger Bros. 1894^{[page needed]}
^ Duchesne, Liber Pontificalis, p. 249. "Hic sepultus est in basilica beati Petri apostoli, vi non. martias. Et cessavit episcopatus dies vi." Thiel, p. 174 §1. Jaffé, Regesta pontificum Romanorum I, p. 80. Loomis, p. 107.
^ Pennacchio, Maria Cristina (2000). "Simplicio, santo": "La sua memoria liturgica, indicata dal Martyrologium Romanum al 2 marzo, dal 1971 viene celebrata il 10 marzo."
^ Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)^{[page needed]} The date of 10 March is also a calculated one; it begins with a calculated date for the death of Pope Hilarius (29 February), and then adds the ten days of the Sede Vacante reported in the Liber Pontificalis. See Duchesne, pp. 247-248.

Sources[]

Duchesne, Louis (1886). Le Liber pontificalis (in Latin). Tome premier. Paris: E. Thorin. pp. 249–251.
Jaffe, Philippus; Loewenfeld, S. (1885). Regesta pontificum romanorum ab condita ecclesia ad annum post Christum natum MCXCVIII (in Latin). Tomus primus (secunda ed.). Leipzig: Veit. pp. 77–80.
Loomis, Louise Ropes, ed. (1916). The Book of the Popes (Liber Pontificalis). Records of Civilization: Sources and Studies. I. To the pontificate of Gregory I. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 105–107.
Opera Omnia, edited by J.-P. Migne, Patrologia Latina, with analytical indexes. This link also holds the "Vita Operaque" section of the Liber Pontificalis.
Pennacchio, Maria Cristina (2000). "Simplicio, santo". Enciclopedia dei Papi (2000). (in Italian)
"S. Simplicii papae Epistolae et decreta," in: Thiel, Andreas (1868). Epistolae Romanorum pontificum genuinae et quae ad eos scriptae sunt, a s. Hilario usque ad Pelagium II (in Latin). Vol. I. Brunsbergae: Peter. pp. 174–220. |volume= has extra text (help)

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Hilarius	Pope 468–483	Succeeded by Felix III

[ce=simplicious-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c J. P. Kirsch, "Simplicius, Pope St." Catholic Encyclopedia. Volume XIV. New York: Appleton. 1912. pp. 2–3. |volume= has extra text (help)

[2] Thiel, p. 174 §1. Jaffḗ, Regesta pontificum Romanorum, p. 77. The date is calculated, from his date of death and the length of his reign, fifteen years and seven days.

[3] Thiel, p. 174 §2. Loomis, pp. 97-99; 106 note 2.

[4] Karl Joseph von Hefele (1895). W. R. Clark (ed.). A History of the Councils of the Church, from the Original Documents. Volume IV. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. pp. 26–29. |volume= has extra text (help) In a letter which Thiel (pp. 189-192) dated to October 477, Pope Simplicius wrote to the Patriarch Acacius about what he thought should be done about the heretic bishops.

[5] Thiel, pp. 213-214.

[6] Thiel, pp. 201-202. Kehr, Paul Fridolin (1906), Italia Pontificia Vol. V: Aemilia, sive Provincia Ravennas (Berlin: Weidmann), pp. (in Latin). p. 301 no. 1. Lanzoni, Francesco (1927). Le diocesi d'Italia dalle origini al principio del secolo VII (an. 604) (Faenza: F. Lega), p. 793, no. 4. (in Italian)

[7] Thiel, p. 175. Edmond Martḕne pointed out that this was the beginning of the custom of the Quattuor Temporum.

[8] Duchesne, p. 249-250. Loomis, p. 106.

[9] Butler, Alban.Lives of the Saints, Benziger Bros. 1894^{[page needed]}

[10] Duchesne, Liber Pontificalis, p. 249. "Hic sepultus est in basilica beati Petri apostoli, vi non. martias. Et cessavit episcopatus dies vi." Thiel, p. 174 §1. Jaffé, Regesta pontificum Romanorum I, p. 80. Loomis, p. 107.

[11] Pennacchio, Maria Cristina (2000). "Simplicio, santo": "La sua memoria liturgica, indicata dal Martyrologium Romanum al 2 marzo, dal 1971 viene celebrata il 10 marzo."

[12] Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)^{[page needed]} The date of 10 March is also a calculated one; it begins with a calculated date for the death of Pope Hilarius (29 February), and then adds the ten days of the Sede Vacante reported in the Liber Pontificalis. See Duchesne, pp. 247-248.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

show v t Saints of the Catholic Church
Congregation for the Causes of Saints Stages of canonization: Servant of God → Venerable → Blessed → Saint
Virgin Mary	Mother of God (Theotokos) Immaculate Conception Perpetual virginity Assumption Marian apparition Titles of Mary Joseph (husband)
Apostles	Andrew Barnabas Bartholomew James of Alphaeus James the Great John Jude Matthew Matthias Paul Peter Philip Simon Thomas
Archangels	Gabriel Michael in the Catholic Church Raphael
Confessors	Anatolius Anthony of Kiev Athanasius the Confessor Chariton the Confessor Dominic Edward the Confessor Francis of Assisi Francis Borgia Louis Bertrand Maximus the Confessor Michael of Synnada Paphnutius the Confessor Paul I of Constantinople Peter Claver Salonius Seraphim of Sarov Theophanes the Confessor
Disciples	Apollos Mary Magdalene Priscilla and Aquila Silvanus Stephen Timothy Titus Seventy disciples
Doctors	Gregory the Great Ambrose Augustine of Hippo Jerome John Chrysostom Basil of Caesarea Gregory of Nazianzus Athanasius of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Jerusalem John of Damascus Bede the Venerable Ephrem the Syrian Thomas Aquinas Bonaventure Anselm of Canterbury Isidore of Seville Peter Chrysologus Leo the Great Peter Damian Bernard of Clairvaux Hilary of Poitiers Alphonsus Liguori Francis de Sales Peter Canisius John of the Cross Robert Bellarmine Albertus Magnus Anthony of Padua Lawrence of Brindisi Teresa of Ávila Catherine of Siena Thérèse of Lisieux John of Ávila Hildegard of Bingen Gregory of Narek
Evangelists	Matthew Mark Luke John
Church Fathers	Alexander of Alexandria Alexander of Jerusalem Ambrose of Milan Anatolius Athanasius of Alexandria Augustine of Hippo Caesarius of Arles Caius Cappadocian Fathers Clement of Alexandria Clement of Rome Cyprian of Carthage Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Jerusalem Damasus I Desert Fathers Desert Mothers Dionysius of Alexandria Dionysius of Corinth Dionysius Ephrem the Syrian Epiphanius of Salamis Fulgentius of Ruspe Gregory the Great Gregory of Nazianzus Gregory of Nyssa Hilary of Poitiers Hippolytus of Rome Ignatius of Antioch Irenaeus of Lyons Isidore of Seville Jerome of Stridonium John Chrysostom John of Damascus Maximus the Confessor Melito of Sardis Quadratus of Athens Papias of Hierapolis Peter Chrysologus Polycarp of Smyrna Theophilus of Antioch Victorinus of Pettau Vincent of Lérins Zephyrinus
Martyrs	Canadian Martyrs Carthusian Martyrs Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala Christina of Persia Dismas the Good Thief Forty Martyrs of England and Wales Four Crowned Martyrs Gerard of Csanád Great Martyr The Holy Innocents Irish Martyrs Joan of Arc John Fisher Korean Martyrs Lorenzo Ruiz Lübeck martyrs Luigi Versiglia Martyrology Martyrs of Albania Martyrs of China Martyrs of Japan Martyrs of Laos Martyrs of Natal Martyrs of Otranto Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War Maximilian Kolbe Óscar Romero Pedro Calungsod Perpetua and Felicity Peter Chanel Pietro Parenzo Philomena Saints of the Cristero War Stephen Teresa Benedicta of the Cross Thomas Becket Thomas More Three Martyrs of Chimbote Uganda Martyrs Vietnamese Martyrs Valentine of Rome Victor and Corona
Missionaries	Augustine of Canterbury Boniface Damien of Molokai Francis Xavier François de Laval Gregory the Illuminator Junípero Serra Nico of Georgia Patrick of Ireland Remigius
Patriarchs	Adam Abel Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph Joseph (father of Jesus) David Noah Solomon Matriarchs
Popes	Adeodatus I Adeodatus II Adrian III Agapetus I Agatho Alexander I Anacletus Anastasius I Anicetus Anterus Benedict II Boniface I Boniface IV Caius Callixtus I Celestine I Celestine V Clement I Cornelius Damasus I Dionysius Eleuterus Eugene I Eusebius Eutychian Evaristus Fabian Felix I Felix III Felix IV Gelasius I Gregory I Gregory II Gregory III Gregory VII Hilarius Hormisdas Hyginus Innocent I John I John XXIII John Paul II Julius I Leo I Leo II Leo III Leo IV Leo IX Linus Lucius I Marcellinus Marcellus I Mark Martin I Miltiades Nicholas I Paschal I Paul I Paul VI Peter Pius I Pius V Pius X Pontian Sergius I Silverius Simplicius Siricius Sixtus I Sixtus II Sixtus III Soter Stephen I Stephen IV Sylvester I Symmachus Telesphorus Urban I Victor I Vitalian Zachary Zephyrinus Zosimus
Prophets	Agabus Amos Anna Baruch ben Neriah David Elijah Ezekiel Habakkuk Haggai Hosea Isaiah Jeremiah Job Joel John the Baptist Jonah Judas Barsabbas Malachi Melchizedek Micah Moses Nahum Obadiah Samuel Seven Maccabees and their mother Simeon Zechariah (prophet) Zechariah (NT) Zephaniah
Virgins	Agatha of Sicily Agnes of Rome Angela of the Cross Æthelthryth Bernadette Soubirous Brigid of Kildare Catherine Labouré Catherine of Siena Cecilia Clare of Assisi Eulalia of Mérida Euphemia Faustina Kowalska Genevieve Kateri Tekakwitha Lucy of Syracuse Maria Goretti Teresa of Calcutta Narcisa de Jesús Rose of Lima
See also	Calendar of saints Congregation for the Causes of Saints Fourteen Holy Helpers Military saints Athleta Christi Miles Christianus Church Militant Virtuous pagan
Catholic Church portal Saints portal

show Authority control
General	Integrated Authority File (Germany) ISNI 1 VIAF 1 WorldCat
National libraries	Spain United States Czech Republic Netherlands Poland
Other	Faceted Application of Subject Terminology 2 RERO (Switzerland) 1