ON SAINT FELIX THE FIRST, ROMAN PONTIFF, MARTYR.
IN THE YEAR CCLXXIV
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY.
On the time of his See, his acts, martyrdom, relics.
Felix I, Roman Pontiff, Martyr (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. H.
Saint Felix, by nation a Roman, from his father Constantius, the twenty- sixth Pontiff of the Roman Church, succeeded S. Dionysius: concerning whose time of See in the Catalogue of all the Roman Pontiffs, the most ancient, published before April, these things are very accurately handed down: Dionysius was from the day of the Kalends of August, under Aemilianus and Bassus, The time of the See of S. Dionysius his predecessor, until the seventh day of the Kalends of January, under the Consuls Claudius and Paternus. S. Dionysius therefore died on December XXVI, on which day he is inscribed in the Martyrologies of Usuard, Bellinus, the Roman, and others) in the year CCLXIX, when the Consuls were the Emperor Aurelius Claudius II and Ovinus Paternus. To him therefore then succeeded S. Felix toward the end of the year, and in the said Catalogue the same Consuls are found with this elogium: Felix for five years eleven months, twenty-five days. He was in the times of Claudius and Aurelian, from the Consulate of Claudius and Paternus until the Consulate of Aurelian II and Capitolinus. These Consuls assigned last, the Emperor Aurelian II and C. Julius Capitolinus, were in the year CCLXXIV: nor beyond this year can the Pontificate of Felix be extended, since the phrases the author of the Catalogue uses are quite distinct and clear, "until," and "until after." Altogether therefore it seems to be said, what my Colleague Papebroch judges, that for five years four years should be read: and then indeed, so that eleven months twenty-five days may be reckoned up to the XXX of May of the year now mentioned, Felix must, while Dionysius was yet living, have been ordained his Vicar, from the day VI of June, which in the year CCLXXIX was a Sunday; and after his death the See was vacant until January of the following year, at the beginning of which Eutychianus was ordained, under the Consuls Aurelian III and Marcellinus. So long a vacancy can be imputed to the atrocity of the persecution, through which Felix, suddenly seized, could not provide a Bishop for the Church to be widowed by his death, and of S. Felix: by ordaining a Vicar; nor after his death could the Bishops assemble at Rome from elsewhere, who might consecrate Eutychianus elected by the Clergy. But the cause of erring in the numbers could be that most define the Episcopate of Felix by five years, no account being taken of the five or six days, required to complete them. In the Anastasius of the Royal Parisian edition, among the various readings there are found, from the Thuanus Codex, assigned to Felix only IV years, III months, XXV days, where there is error only in the number of months, the rest agreeing very well with the Chronology of Papebroch. And let these things concerning the time of the See be said as the more certain; for the same Emperors and Consuls are confirmed in the other Catalogue brought down to the times of Justinian in the Pontifical book, in the Lives of the Pontiffs in Anastasius the Librarian, in all copies both written by hand and struck by type, likewise in the MS. Deeds of the Pontiffs brought down to Martin V, and in the ancient Roman Breviaries in MS. and printed in the year 1479 and 1490. Eusebius in book 7 of Ecclesiastical History chapter 32, writes that Felix governed the Roman Church for five years.
[2] There exists a brief fragment of this Pontiff in S. Cyril Archbishop of Alexandria, his doctrine on the Incarnation of the Word: in the Apologetic for the XII Chapters against the Orientals, in anathematism VI, in these words: From the epistle of Felix, most holy Bishop of Rome and Martyr, to Maximus the Bishop and the Clergy of Alexandria. But concerning the Incarnation of the Word and the faith, we believe in our Lord Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary, that he himself is the everlasting Son of God and the Word: not however a man assumed by God, so that he be another than he. Nor indeed did the Son of God assume a man, so that he should exist as another from him: But since he was perfect God, he was made at the same time also perfect man, incarnate of the Virgin. Thus far there. a Mass over the tombs of the Martyrs. Maximus presided over the Church of Alexandria at that time, at which SS. Dionysius and Felix ruled the Roman Church. Concerning the same S. Felix there is in the Catalogue above cited and other annexed authors something decreed in these words. He appointed Masses to be celebrated over the tombs of the Martyrs, namely according to that of the Apocalypse chapter 6. I saw beneath the altar of God the souls of the slain, for the word of God and the testimony which they held &c. He made, Ordinations. as is added in the same place, two ordinations in the month of December, eight Presbyters, by others nine, two Deacons, eleven Bishops through various places, by others five.
[3] Martyrdom burial, Sacred cult: He was crowned with martyrdom and buried in his own cemetery on the Aurelian Way at the second milestone, on the III Kalends of June. But Anastasius is silent about the said cemetery, and has these things: he made a basilica on the Aurelian Way, where he was also buried. Why should he not have done both, namely the cemetery and the basilica above it? Ado in his Martyrology writes these things: At Rome on the Aurelian Way in the cemetery the birthday of S. Felix the Pope, who when he had ruled the Church for five years, under Claudius the Prince, was crowned with martyrdom. These things are read also in Notker, and in the ancient Martyrology of Trier of S. Maximinus. The same things, but without mention of the cemetery, have Usuard, Bellinus, Maurolycus and others. The five years we now define as passed partly under Claudius, partly under Aurelian, and to this man the martyrdom of Felix will rightly be imputed by the present-day Roman martyrology, in that chronology which Papebroch established; otherwise, if against the express attestation of the old Catalogue, Felix had sat, not "until," but "until after" the Consulate of Aurelian and Capitolinus, as I once believed: because Aurelian was slain in the month of March, or even in January of the third Consulate, entered upon in the year CCLXXV, and so long before Felix, if up to May he had survived. To this man moreover our Cornelius Hazart, in his Triumph of the Roman Pontiffs, fits such an Epitaph, found I know not where:
Roman by blood, Felix, and of the first Chair the Occupant, and distinguished in character, here is covered: an epitaph. That he might govern the sacred ship under a happy star, he did not fear hands stretched out against his life.
[4] Masinus in Bologna Surveyed writes, that some of his Relics are preserved in the Parochial church of the Carmelite Fathers of S. Martin the Greater, relics at Bologna. and in the Parochial church of S. Mary of Charity of the Fathers of the third Order of S. Francis in the square of S. Felix, likewise in the church of S. Lucy on Mount Guardia outside the Saragozza gate. But that all these are of one S. Felix, and indeed of Pope I, who would prudently believe? It is more certain that this is the same one, of whom at February XXVII the MS. Martyrologies treat, the Tournai one of S. Martin and the Liessies one, The same 27 Feb. under the title of Bishop and Martyr; inasmuch as there is added expressly the Aurelian Way, where it is established he was buried. Not so certainly can it be affirmed that the same is also S. Felix Pope and Martyr, inscribed at March XXXI in the Martyrologies of Galesini, Maurolycus, Felici, Molanus, and Canisius: because every other distinctive mark is absent. Both however equally, that it might be referred to this day, whether also 31 March in both places among the Passed-Over we have indicated.
[5] In the Cassinese Martyrology, in Lombardic character, some Martyrs are joined in these words: III Kalends of June The Birthday of S. Felix the Pope, and of the Seven Holy Brothers. But these seven brothers could have completed their martyrdom in another place and by a different persecution, but on this same day: as everywhere in the said Martyrology different Martyrs are indicated, without the arena of martyrdom being appended. Famous are the seven brothers, descending from the line of the Emperor Carinus, who under the Emperor Diocletian and the Governor Marcian were given to the fire, and completed their martyrdom with joy and exultation, as is read in the Acts of SS. Julian and Basilissa on January IX; and as S. Julian is venerated in the Church of Milan on June XXII, as if that were his birthday, so because these seven brothers suffered some time before S. Julian, this day could have been celebrated as if their birthday in some Churches. Known also are the seven brother Martyrs, Whether the 7 brother Martyrs are to be joined. sons of S. Symphorosa, whose names in the Roman Martyrology at the day July XVIII are expressed; and other seven brother Martyrs, sons of S. Felicitas, whose famous cult is on July X. But these are proposed to the Reader, that if from elsewhere he can shed greater light, to the honor of the Seven Brothers related on this day, he may kindle it for us, and we shall congratulate those who illustrate their martyrdom.