FELICE II, ANTIPOPE. - Archdeacon of the Roman Church, after the Arian Council of Milan in 355, despite his promise of fidelity to the legitimate pontiff Liberio, driven into exile by Costanzo, he agreed to be consecrated bishop. The ceremony was held in the imperial palace in the presence of a few officials. The Roman people, however, refused to recognize him and abandoned his churches.
In 358, when Liberio was able to return from exile, the Emperor and the Eastern bishops demanded that Liberio and F. govern together; the people ridiculed the absurd proposal and compelled F. to leave the city. Shortly afterwards, however, he attempted to seize the basilica Iulii in Trastevere, but once again he had to withdraw. He then retired to an estate of his on the Via Portuense, where he died on 22 Nov. 365. At the beginning of the 6th cent., when the history of the events under Costanzo II had become confused, while the memory of Liberio’s alleged lapse remained vivid, F. was regarded as the legitimate pope, and as a martyr; Liberio consequently became a heretic and persecutor. The confusion became complete when F. was identified with one of the martyrs of the same name buried on the Via Portuense or the Aurelia. Evidence and echo of this muddle is the life of F. included in a recension of the Liber Pontificalis.