Pope Felix IV

Pope Saint
Felix IV (III)
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 (aged 40)
Sainthood
Feast day 30 January
Other popes named Felix
Papal styles of
Pope Felix IV (III)
Reference style His Holiness
Spoken style Your Holiness
Religious style Holy Father
Posthumous style Saint

Pope Felix IV (III) (d. 22 September 530) served as the Pope of the Catholic Church from 12 July 526 to his death in 530. He was the chosen candidate of Ostrogoth King Theodoric, who had imprisoned Felix's predecessor.

Biography

Santi Cosma e Damiano

He came from Samnium, the son of one Castorius. He was elected after a gap of nearly two months after the death of John I, who had died in prison in Ravenna, having completed a diplomatic mission to Constantinople on behalf of the Ostrogoth King Theodoric the Great. The papal electors acceded to the king's demands and chose Cardinal Felix as Pope. Felix's favor in the eyes of the king allowed him to press for greater benefits for the Church.[1]

Felix built the Santi Cosma e Damiano in the Imperial forums on land donated by the Ostrogoth regent Amalasuntha[1]

During his reign, an Imperial edict was passed granting that cases against clergy should be dealt with by the Pope or a designated ecclesiastical court. Violation of this ruling would result in a fine, which proceeds were designated for the poor. Felix also 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.

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. 1 2 3  Kirsch, Johann Peter (1913). "Pope St. Felix IV". In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
John I		 Pope
526–530		 Succeeded by
Boniface II
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