Victor I

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189 to 199
Pope #14
St. Eleutherius (175-189)
St. Zephyrinus (199-217)

Victor, son of Felix
in Province of Africa (Modern Tunisia)

Pope Victor I

Biography:

Born in North Africa.

Changed Mass to Latin

He ordered that the Mass of the church be changed from Greek to Latin, his native tongue. He was well-liked by Marcia, the mistress of Emperor Commodus, who would release imprisoned Christians at his request.

Baptism

He decreed that any water can be used in emergency baptisms. He forbade the Laity from baptising except in emergency.

Easter

Up to this time, the western churches observed the Last Supper on the Roman Easter day, while the eastern churches continued to observe it on the Jewish Passover day. Victor was known to be intolerant of this difference.

Eusebius writes that Pope Victor tried to force the other churches to conform to the Roman doctrine. Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus wrote back to Victor, in reply to his "threats" by listing names of many Godly Christian martyrs, and saying:

All of these kept the 14th day of the month as the beginning of the Paschal [Passover] festival, in accordance with the Gospel, not deviating in the least but following the rule of the faith. (Eusebius, The History of the Church from Christ to Constantine)

He ends with:

"So I, my friends, after spending 65 years in the Lord's service and conversing with Christians from all parts of the world, and going carefully through all Holy Scripture, I am not scared of threats. Better people than I have said: 'We must obey God rather than men'" (Ibid.)

This letter made Pope Victor furious, who reacted by ordering the excommunication of all the bishops of Asia, all the churches of Asia, and any others who refused to adopt the Easter day. He later recanted his excommunications upon the persuasion of Iranaeus.

At the First Council of Nicaea in 325, under the authority of Emperor Constantine the Great, Easter was officially declared to be observed by Christians, and the Passover day was forbidden.

Victor I

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