MARCELLUS II, Pope. — Born at Montepulciano on 6 May 1501, died at Rome on 1 May 1555. Son of Ricciardo Cervini, writer of the Apostolic Penitentiary under Innocent VIII, he pursued his studies at Siena.
He was exiled to Montepulciano, where he died. His body was transported to Rome and interred in the cemetery of Priscilla.
The *Liber Pontificalis* attributes to him the foundation of the cemetery of Novella on the Via Salaria. It is highly probable that he also founded the *Titulus Marcelli*; from its origin there arose the legend, recorded in the *Passio Marcelli* (*Acta SS. Ianuarii*, II, pp. 3-14) and in the *Lib. Pont.*, I, p. 164, that Maxentius transformed the church into a stable and condemned Marcellus to serve as a groom, dying in that service from exhaustion. The *Martyrology* and the *Roman Breviary* commemorate him on 16 January.
This is what the sources relate regarding Marcellus. Yet it is not out of place to ask: is his pontificate indeed certain? The question has been examined by Mommsen, who studied the chronological data provided by the *Catalogo Liberiano* and the *Index* which underpins the various papal catalogues of the 5th–7th centuries. The *Liberianus*, followed by the *Liber Pontificalis*, places Marcellinus and Marcellus in succession and records a vacancy of seven years, three months, and twenty-five days between them, which would place the beginning of Marcellus’ pontificate on 31 December. The *Index*, however, lists only one pope, who in the fifth catalogue is called Marcellinus and in the others Marcellus. These and other facts suggest the suppression of Marcellus’ pontificate. This conclusion appears confirmed by the following observations: the *Depositio episcoporum*, Eusebius’ *Chronicon* and that of St Jerome, Victor of Milevis, and some later Eastern historians mention only the name of Marcellinus; St Augustine, however, along with some Eastern historians, mentions only Marcellus. Moreover, the various documents speak of a single tomb, of Marcellinus or of Marcellus, in the cemetery of Priscilla; the exception is the *Liber Pontificalis*, which speaks of two tombs, both in Priscilla. Finally, the liturgical documents know of only one feast. All the documents, therefore, except the *Liberianus* and the *Liber Pontificalis*, which depends on it, attest to a single pontificate. Now, there can be no doubt about the pontificate of Marcellinus, which began well eight years before the persecution. It would therefore be Marcellus’ pontificate that should be erased. Does this also deny the existence of Marcellus? No. He may have been the founder of the cemetery of Novella and of the *Titulus Marcelli*, and he may even have held directive functions during the interregnum and, as such, taken some initiative for the penance of the *lapsi*; and since his functions lasted several years, he may have been believed by some to be a true pope. Nor should it be surprising that the two names were confused in the documents, since similar confusion is noted for many other names with identical or similar sounds. All this, therefore, seems to suggest the suppression of Marcellus’ pontificate.
MARCELLUS II, Pope. — Born at Montepulciano on 6 May 1501, died at Rome on 1 May 1555. Son of Ricciardo Cervini, writer of the Apostolic Penitentiary under Innocent VIII, he pursued his studies at Siena.
Marcellus II, Pope — Portrait of Cardinal Cervini, later Marcellus II, attributed to Pontormo — Rome, Galleria Borghese.
He conducted affairs with order and method, resisting flattery and threats; this later earned him, from Charles V, the nominal exclusion from the Conclave that followed the death of Paul III. In 1548 Paul III entrusted him with the reorganization of the Vatican Library, of which Julius III subsequently appointed him librarian for life. A member of the Roman Congregation of the Inquisition under Paul III and Julius III, Marcellus was appointed by the latter president of the Commission for ecclesiastical reform, but upon openly disapproving of the Pope’s nepotistic policies, he withdrew to Gubbio. On 10 April 1555 Marcellus was elected pope.
In his very brief pontificate, he demonstrated a firm resolve to implement rigorously those reforming principles that had guided his activity as a prelate. He forbade the lavish festivities customarily celebrated on the occasion of papal appointments, postponed the examination of all petitions for privileges and favours, limited the number and reduced the stipends of his household, laid down stringent rules for the conferral of ecclesiastical offices, and ordered that justice be administered impartially without external interference. To eliminate any suspicion of nepotism, he forbade his relatives to come to Rome or reside there; he also resolved to promulgate a bull imposing severe penalties on those who alienated ecclesiastical property in favour of relatives. During the war of Siena, he sought to act as a peacemaker, refusing military aid to the besieged and counselling them to cease their futile resistance, while urging Cosimo I to treat them with clemency. Sudden death prevented Marcellus from pursuing that reforming action which he regarded as an unrelinquishable duty for any pontiff.
During the ceremonies of Holy Week, Marcellus—already convinced during the Council of the need to reform sacred music—had indignantly deplored the character of the chants that accompanied the celebration of Good Friday. Palestrina, who was one of the singers, was thereby moved to compose a Mass, which the Pope’s death prevented him from presenting to him; for this reason it was later entitled the Missa Papae Marcelli.