Mass Perjury of the Roman Clergy in the mid-Fourth Century

Mass Perjury of the Roman Clergy in the mid-Fourth Century

Two sources, Jerome of Stridon [Chronicon] and an anonymous [Quae Gesta] supporter of Ursinus (claimant to the episcopacy of Rome, in opposition to Damasus), testify to a large occasion of perjury by the clergy in the Roman Church in the mid-Fourth century (355 CE), both dating 15-25 years after the alleged event. Following the resistance of Liberius, bishop of Rome, to condemn Athanasius of Alexandria, Emperor Constantius II sends Liberius into exile, along with a number of other bishops. Prior to the exile the "entire clergy" swore an oath not to support any bishop of Rome over Liberius. However; following Liberius' exile, most of the clergy perjured themselves and supported Felix's election to the episcopacy of Rome. On the return of Liberius from exile, he ejected from their offices, those who had perjured themselves. The anonymous Que Gesta is eager to note that Damasus was among those who had perjured themselves and also notes that Liberius reinstated the perjured clergy following the death of Felix.

                                                                                                                   

Sources

Anon., Quae Gesta sunt inter Liberium et Felicem episcopos, 1-4, in Collectio Avellana

Written c. 370 CE. by an anonymous supporter of Ursinus, claimant to the episcopy of Rome against Damasus.

Source: The Collectio Avellana, Fourth Century Christianity: Online project. Translated by Aaron J. West. Available at: http://www.fourthcentury.com/index.php/avellana-1-english

1. In the time of emperor Constantius, the son of Constantine, there arose a very difficult persecution of Christians, arising from those impious heretics, the Arians, whom Constantius supported. He also persecuted Athanasius who had resisted the heretics, by commanding that he be condemned by all bishops. Because they feared the prince, all the priests everywhere were tempted to do this, to condemn an innocent man without a trial. But Liberius, bishop of Rome, and Eusebius of Vercelli, Lucifer of Cagliari, and Hilary of Poitiers were unwilling to pronounce the guilty verdict. Therefore, these four were sent into exile for their obedience to the faith.

2. Damasus, a deacon under Liberius, pretended that he was going to go along with his bishop. But fleeing from that course, he returned to Rome, corrupted by ambition. But on the day when Liberius went off into exile, the entire clergy, that is, the priests, and the archdeacon Felix, and Damasus, himself a deacon, and all the church officials, in the presence of the people of Rome, swore assuredly that they would have no other bishop as long as Liberius was alive. But, contrary to sacred duty, the clergy did something that was in no way proper. They perjured themselves most wickedly and supported Felix, who had been ordained as an archdeacon, as bishop in the place of Liberius. What was done displeased the entire population of the city and they boycotted his inaugural procession.

3. After two years, the emperor Constantius came to Rome. The people asked for Liberius’s return. He soon agreed, saying, “You may have Liberius, who will return to you better than he was when he departed.” But this revealed that by his agreement he was extending the hand of treachery. In the third year, Liberius returned, and the Roman people went out to meet him with great joy. Felix, censured either by the Senate or by the people themselves, was forced out of the city. But after a little time, at the instigation of the clergy, who broke their oaths, he broke into the city again and dared to set himself up in the Basilica of Julius across the Tiber. The entire population of the city, along with the nobility, again threw him out of the city with great shame.

4. After 8 years, in the consulship of Valentinian and Valens, on the 10th day before the Kalends of December, Felix died. Liberius had mercy on the clergy who had broken their oaths, and received them into their former positions. Likewise on the 8th day before the Kalends of October in the consulship of Gratian and Dagalais, Liberius was removed from worldly cares.

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Jerome, Continuation of Eusebius' Chronicon, from 349CE

In c. 380 CE Jerome translated Eusebius of Caesarea's Chronicon and brought it upto the date of 378 CE. Jerome places this event in the timeline of the 282nd Olympiad in his Chronicon, corresponding to 349 CE. The event takes place in 355 CE which would correspond to the 283rd Olympiad. However, as Liberius was elected bishop of Rome in 352 CE, he discusses the event of his exile from this reference point.

Source: The Chronicle of St. Jerome, 2005. Collaborative online translation project led by Roger Pearse. Available at: http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/jerome_chronicle_00_eintro.htm

Liberius is ordained 34th bishop of the Roman church, to whom, when he had been driven into exile on account of the faith, all the clergy swore that they would receive no-one else. However when Felix was substituted by the Arians, most perjured themselves and after a year they were ejected with Felix because Liberius, having been conquered by the tedium of exile and subscribing to the heretical depravity, had entered Rome as if a conqueror.