Saint of the Day – 20 September – St Pope Agapetus I (c489-536) the 57th Bishop of Rome Papal Reign from 13 May 535 – 22 April 536. Agapetus was born in Rome, although his exact date of birth is unknown. He was the son of Gordianus, a Roman Priest who had been slain during the riots in the days of Pope Symmachus (term 498–514). The name ‘Gprdianus’ might point to a familial relationship with 2 Popes – Felix III (483–492) and Gregory I (590–604).
Agapetus was Ordained as a Deacon perhaps as early as 502, then elevated to Archdeacon and from there to Suprme Pontiff on 13 May 535.
As Pope, he confirmed the Decrees of the Council held at Carthage, after the liberation of Africa from the Vandal yoke, according to which, converts from Arianism were declared ineligible to Holy Orders and those already Ordained, were merely admitted to lay communion.
Agapetus assisted the Servant of God, Senator Cassiodorus, in the founding of his Monastery, named Vivarium in Calabria, Italy.
He accepted an appeal from Contumeliosus, Bishop of Riez in France, whom a Council at Marseilles had condemned for immorality and he ordered St Caesarius of Arles, the Archbishop, to grant the accused a new trial before Papal delegates, the outcome we believe went against Bishop Contumeliosus.
During his short Papacy, the Byzantine Empire, under the helm of General Belisarius, looked to invade Italy. It was the Ostrogothic King, Theodahad who informed Pope Agapetus of this. Following his advice, Agapetus and five Bishops, left in winter to meet with the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. They made it to Constantinople in February of 536. Unfortunately, Emperor claimed he could not prevent Belisarius.
Seeing the situation as a religious issue and not as a political problem, Agapetus sought out the Byzantine Patriarch, Anthimus I. Things quickly unraveled into a heated debate of faith and power. Agapetus questioned Anthimus I’s faith, demanding a written confession of faith and that he resign as Patriarch. When Anthimus refused, Agapetus further and more vigorously questioned him. To this, Emperor Justinian I said he would banish the Pope if need be!
Agapetus replied with spirit: “With eager longing have I come to gaze upon the Most Christian Emperor Justinian. In his place I find a Diocletian, whose threats, however, terrify me not!” This intrepid language made Justinian pause and being finally convinced that Anthimus was unsound in faith, he made no objection to the Pope’s exercising the plenitude of his powers in deposing and suspending the intruder and, for the first time in the history of the Church, personally Consecrating his legally elected successor, Mennas. This memorable exercise of the Papal prerogative was not soon forgotten by the Orientals, who, together with the Latins, venerate him as a Saint even before death.
In order to clear himself of every suspicion of abetting heresy, Justinian delivered, to the Pope, a written confession of faith which the latter accepted with the judicious proviso that “although he could not admit, in a layman. the right of teaching religion, yet, he observed, with pleasure that the zeal of the Emperor was in perfect accord, with the decisions of the Fathers.”
Shortly afterwards, Agapetus fell ill and died, after a glorious and very busy reign of just ten months. His remains were brought in a leaden coffin to Rome and deposited in St Peter’s. His memory is kept on 20 September, the day of his deposition.
AnaStpaul 