Felix IV, Pope, Saint

FELIX IV, Pope. - Reigning from 526 to 530. Born in Samnium to a certain Castorius, he was elevated to the supreme pontificate through the influence of Theodoric, king of the Goths, who thus struck a blow at the free election of the Pontiff. When, however, Theodoric died shortly afterward, F. was freely elected, accepted and consecrated in peace.

He wrote to Caesarius of Arles, sending him some Capitula on Grace and free will, drawn from the works of the Fathers and particularly of St. Augustine, condemning Pelagius, Caelestius and Julian of Eclanum. Having obtained from Amalasuntha the "templum sacrae urbis," he easily transformed it into a Christian church with the addition of an apse, which he had adorned with a most beautiful mosaic; to this building, which he dedicated in honor of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, he joined the small temple of Romulus, son of Maxentius, to form its atrium. There he is represented in the apse mosaic in the act of offering the building he had transformed (Wilpert, Musaici, pl. 102). Before dying, F., fearing the danger of struggles and schisms among the factions over the election of the successor, resorted to a measure unheard of until then: he himself designated the successor in the person of the archdeacon Boniface. The opposing faction elected Dioscorus; but since the latter died after a few months, Boniface was unanimously recognized and venerated as the legitimate Pontiff, thus avoiding schism. F. died in September 530 and was buried in St. Peter's.

Agostino Amore