Cornelius whose feast day is September 16th. A Roman priest, Cornelius was elected Pope to succeed Fabian in an election delayed fourteen months by Decius' persecution of the Christians. The main issue of his pontificate was the treatment to be accorded Christians who had been apostasized during the persecution. He condemned those confessors who were lax in not demanding penance of these Christians and supported St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, against Novatus and his dupe, Felicissimus, whom he had set up as an antibishop to Cyprian, when Novatus came to Rome. On the other hand, he also denounced the Rigorists, headed by Novatian, a Roman priest, who declared that the Church could not pardon the lapsi (the lapsed Christians), and declared himself Pope - the first antipope. The two extremes eventually joined forces, and the Novatian movement had quite a vogue in the East. Meanwhile, Cornelius proclaimed that the Church had the authority and the power to forgive repentant lapsi and could readmit them to the sacraments and the Church after they had performed proper penances. A synod of Western bishops in Rome in October 251 upheld Cornelius, condemned the teachings of Novatian, and excommunicated him and his followers. When persecutions of the Christians started up again in 253 under Emperor Gallus, Cornelius was exiled to Centum Cellae (Civita Vecchia), where he died a martyr probably of hardships he was forced to endure.
Comments
Where can I find a St. Cornelius Statue ?
Susan Cooper | 9/22/2009
Here's one by Dom Prosper Gueranger, OSB to Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian. (Bishop of Carthage, Cyprian, had written to Pope Cornelius to console him in exile, and both were martyred on Oct 18.)
"Holy Pontiffs, united now in glory as you once were by friendship and in martyrdom, preserve within us the fruit of your example and doctrine. Your life teaches us to despise honors and fortune for Christ's sake, and to give to the Church all our devotedness, of which the world is unworthy. May this be understood by those countless descendants of noble races, who are led astray by a misguided society. May they learn from you gloriously to confound the impious conspiracy that seeks to exterminate them in shameful oblivion and enforced idleness. If their fathers deserved well of mankind, they themselves may now enter upon a higher career of usefulness where decadence is unknown, and the fruit once produced is everlasting. Remind the lowly as well as the great in the city of God, that peace and war alike have flowers to crown the soldier of Christ: the white wreath of good works is offered to those who cannot aspire to the rosy diadem of martyrdom (Cyprian Epist. viii. Ad martyres et confessores). Watch, O Cyprian over thy Church of Carthage, now at length renewing her youth..."
William L. Bailey | 9/16/2008
St. Cornelius is the patron saint of hearing ailments. Do you know of any prayers to him that i can give my mother who has hearing loss in both ears? Thank You.
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