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Name:
Pope Gelasius I
Preceded by: St. Felix III (II) (483 - 492)
Succeeded by: Anastasius II (496 - 498)
Roman Catholic Pope #49
Dates:
Born: ? (Africa)
Died: November 21, 496
Pope: March 1, 492 - November 21, 496 (4 years, 8 months)
Feast Day: November 21
Biography:
Pope Gelasius I (492 - 496), the second pope to come from Africa, was important to the
development of papal primacy, arguing that a pope's spiritual power was superior to
the authority of any king or emperor. Because the pope derives his authority directly
from God, there can be no appeals for decisions reached by a pope. Thus, kings and
emperors are subordinate to popes and must submit to them in any decisions they make.
Gelasius was also insistent in his refusal to accept any compromise with church authorities in the East, even going so far as to warn his legate to Constantinople about the trickery of the "Greeks". He aligned himself with the Ostrogoth leader Theodoric, successor to Odoacer, which further underscored the separation from political leaders in Constantinople. One reason for this alliance may, ironically, have been because Theodoric was a heretic. In this position, he allowed Gelasius a great deal of freedom in administering the church and regulating doctrine.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
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