• =?UTF-8?Q?July_19th_=E2=80=93_Pope_St=2E_Symmachus?=

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Thu Jul 18 09:04:09 2019
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    July 19th =E2=80=93 Pope St. Symmachus
    498 - 514 AD

    The death of Anastasius left Rome tense with bitterness and suspicion
    as two factions struggled for control. The first and larger was the
    group which, out of misunderstanding, had grumbled at the late Pope's
    peace policy. The other faction was the pro-Byzantine party led by
    Senator Festus. This intriguer was anxious to make Rome conform to the
    imperial wish concerning Zeno's Henoticon. The clergy gathered at the
    Lateran on November 22, 498, and elected Symmachus. Later that same
    day, the pro- Byzantine minority went to St. Mary Major and elected an antipope, Lawrence. Off to Ravenna went embassies from pope and
    antipope to Theodoric. Theodoric wisely decided to recognize Symmachus
    because he had been elected first and by a majority. Lawrence bowed
    and was made bishop of Nocera.

    Symmachus, a Sardinian who had been baptized at Rome and had been a
    deacon there, took steps to prevent a recurrence of the trouble. He
    held a synod on March 1, 499, which passed stringent decrees against electioneering for the papacy. The next year he welcomed Theodoric to
    Rome. The great Ostrogoth received a splendid reception, and in turn
    promised to respect the privileges of the Romans.

    The pro-Byzantine party raised its head again in 501. Led by Festus,
    they accused the Pope of all kinds of crimes from celebrating Easter
    on the wrong date to immoral conduct. When Theodoric sent for
    Symmachus, the Pope boldly refused to be judged by a secular ruler.
    Theodoric then requested a synod to settle the matter, and sent, as
    Visitor to Rome, Bishop Peter of Altinum. The Pope agreed to the synod
    but refused to accept the Visitor. When, with his approval, the synod
    met, Symmachus demanded his complete reinstatement before answering
    any charge. Though the synod agreed to this, Theodoric did not. The
    Pope then gave in, and set out for the synod, but was attacked by
    partisans of the pro Byzantine faction and driven back to St. Peter's.
    This outrage ended his complaisance, and he refused to have anything
    more to do with the synod. Embarrassed, the synod broke up declaring
    that it had no competence to judge a pope, and that Symmachus should
    be regarded as free from all crime.

    Theodoric, however, refused to accept this, and the pro-Byzantine
    faction brought back Antipope Lawrence and installed him in the
    Lateran. For four years this schism dragged on, to the distress of the faithful. The patient Pope was gradually winning back the adherents of
    Lawrence when Theodoric changed his mind, and by withdrawing his
    support from the schismatics, put an end to the matter.

    In spite of all this trouble, Symmachus kept an eye on the East and
    rebuked Emperor Anastasius for his support of the Monophysite heresy.
    As firmly as Gelasius, the Pope maintained the independence of his
    spiritual power. He found time to do a good deal of building in Rome,
    including three refuges for the poor. He also sent alms to the
    persecuted Catholics of Africa. St. Symmachus died July 19, 514.
    Venerated as a saint, his feast is kept on that day.

    This Version Taken From:
    http://cfpeople.org/Books/Pope/POPEp51.htm


    Saint Quote:
    To those who wish to stand in God's grace, neither the guardianship of
    saints nor the defenses of angels are wanting.
    --Saint Hilary of Poitiers

    Bible Quote:
    The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field. Which
    a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all
    that he hath, and buyeth that field.=C2 (Matthew 13:44)

    <><><><>
    Zeal in Amending our Lives(8)

    How do so many other religious who are confined in cloistered
    discipline get along? They seldom go out, they live in contemplation,
    their food is poor, their clothing coarse, they work hard, they speak
    but little, keep long vigils, rise early, pray much, read frequently,
    and subject themselves to all sorts of discipline. Think of the
    Carthusians and the Cistercians, the monks and nuns of different
    orders, how every night they rise to sing praise to the Lord. It would
    be a shame if you should grow lazy in such holy service when so many
    religious have already begun to rejoice in God.
    'A Kempis:--Imitation of Christ Book 1, Ch 25
    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)