Marcellinus
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296.06.30 to 304.10.25
Pope #29
St. Caius (283-296)
St. Marcellus I (308-309)
Marcellinus, son of Projectus
in Rome
304.10.25
Pope Marcellinus
Biography:
He was a Roman. The son of Projectus.Election
Marcellinus is listed as a pope in the Liber Pontificalis (~885 AD); however, there is no record of him in the Martyrologium hieronymianum, the Depositio episcoporum, or in the Despositio martyrum. The Liber Pontificalis' record itself is copied from a lost text called the Acts of St. Marcellinus.Persecution
Marcellinus' reign began during the long period of tolerance Rome had towards Christianity. The Roman Emperor Diocletian (r.284-305) upheld this tolerance, in part due to the influence of his wife Prisca, and his daughter Valeria, who both favoured certain Roman Christians. Christianity grew, while pagan leaders felt increasingly threatened.
Falling to Paganism
According to the same Acts of St. Marcellinus text, the Liber Pontificalis reports that Marcellinus weakened, and offered sacrifices to the pagan idols. It adds however, that after a few days, he repented of his actions, and was then beheaded. Other documents speak of his defection.The Donatist Bishop Petilianus of Constantine in modern-day Algeria, wrote in a letter in 400 and 410, that Marcellinus and three of his priests (who all became his successors), Marcellus (308-309), Melchiades (311-314), and Sylvester (314-335) gave up the holy scriptures to be destroyed, and had offered incense to false gods. No proof was provided however, and the 4th century bishop St. Augustine of Hippo, denies the whole account, even that Marcellinus had offered to idols.
In 498 however, several forged documents began to appear during the rivalry between Pope Symmachus (498-514) and Antipope Laurence (498-505). One of them was a record of an alleged synod in 303 at Sinuessa (near Rome), which delt with the Marcellinus' sacrifices. The document reports that Marcellinus confessed of his offering to idols, and repented before the synod. However, the synod refused to judge him, stating that "The first See is judged by none." The document also states that when Diocletian heard of the synod, he had Marcellinus and several of the bishops executed.
Other Works
From an epitaph of the deacon Severus, found in the Catacomb of Callistus, it writes that new burial chambers were added in the cemetary, crediting Marcellinus.Death
There is no other evidence that he was martyred however. Even the only source used in the Liber Ponitificalis no longer exists. The chronological books included the popes of previous years, so most historians believe that his named was probably stripped from the ancient catalogues intentionally, due to his weakening. The Catholic Encyclopedia concludes:
Marcellinus died in the second year of the persecution and, in all probability, a natural death. No trustworthy sources of the fourth of fifth century mention him as a martyr.
Rulers & Events:
286-305: Eastern Roman Emperor, Diocletian
Western Roman Emperor, Maximian
296: Britain divided into 4 Roman Provinces
303-311: The Third Persecution, by Emperor Diocletian
