Traudel
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 Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject: August 2nd - St. Stephen I, Pope M (RM) |
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August 2nd - St. Stephen I, Pope M (RM)
Born in Rome, Italy; died 257; feast in the Eastern Church is either August
2 or September 7. After his ordination to the priesthood, Saint Stephen,
progeny of the gens Julia, was promoted to archdeacon of the Roman Church.
He served under the martyr-popes Saint Cornelius and Saint Lucius, who
nominated Stephen to succeed himself. Stephen was elected pope on May 3,
254, and consecrated on May 12, 254.
Almost immediately he was drawn into the Novatian controversy that raged
throughout Western Christendom. Could an individual who committed a serious
sin-adultery, apostasy, or murder-after baptism be forgiven and readmitted
to communion? Marcian seems to have succeeded Saint Regulus as bishop of
Arles (France). He embraced Novatianism and refused absolution to many even
on the point of death. Bishop Faustinus of Lyons and other prelates of Gaul
sent complaints against Marcian to Pope Stephen. In order to enlist Saint
Cyprian in their cause, the bishops also wrote to him.
Cyprian responded by writing to the Holy Father: "It is necessary for you to
dispatch ample letters to our fellow-bishops in Gaul, so that they will no
longer suffer the obstinate Marcian to insult our college. Write to that
province and to the people of Arles, that Marcian being excommunicated, a
successor may be provided for his see. Acquaint us, if you please, who is
made bishop of Arles in the place of Marcian, that we may know to whom we
are to send letters of communion and to direct our brethren." Although the
letters of St. Stephen have not survived, he must have acted because the
ancient list of the bishops of Arles does not include Marcian.
The controversy exhibited itself in Spain with no less consequence. Bishops
Basilides of Merida and Martialis of Leon and Astorga had purchased
libelati, pieces of paper saying that they had sacrificed to idols, to save
their lives during persecution. The cowardice of Martialis was condemned in
a synod and he was deposed. Basilides was so intimidated that he voluntarily
resigned his see. Both were replaced; by Felix and Sabinus respectively.
Basilides repented of his actions, went to Rome, and was forgiven by Pope
Stephen. He returned to Spain with letters from the pope and was received as
a prelate by some of his brother bishops. Encouraged by Basilides' example,
Martialis claimed the same privilege. The bishops of Spain asked Saint
Cyprian how they should treat the two former apostates. He responded that
those guilty of notorious crimes were disqualified by canon law from holding
office in the Church, and that the successors to the apostates had been
validly ordained, which could not be rescinded or nullified.
He also noted that the pope's letters had been obtained by fraud and were
consequently null. He wrote, "Basilides going to Rome, there imposed upon
our colleague Stephen, living at a distance, and ignorant of the truth that
was concealed from him. All this only tends to accumulate the crimes of
Basilides, rather than to abolish the remembrance of them; since to his
former account, hereby is added the guilt of endeavoring to circumvent the
pastors of the church." Cyprian does not blame Stephen, but rather Basilides
for fraudulently gaining access to him. There is no account of the manner in
which this affair was settled.
During his three-year papacy, Stephen was primarily occupied with the
question of the validity of baptisms by heretics. He invoked the apostolic
tradition in favor of the Roman practice and was met with stout opposition
from Saint Cyprian. Stephen noted that baptism in the name of the Three
Persons of the Trinity is valid, and was the practice even in the African
church until the time of Bishop Agrippinus of Carthage at the end of the 2nd
century.
Cyprian appealed to a council at Carthage convened by Agrippinus as the
source of the African tradition. (Saints Augustine of Hippo and Vincent of
Lérins testify to this change by Agrippinus.) In three African councils,
Cyprian decreed that baptism by a heretic was always null on the faulty
principle that one cannot receive the Holy Spirit at the hands of one who
does not himself possess Him. By this logic, no one in mortal sin can
validly administer any sacrament. We know that, as Saint Stephen taught,
Christ is the principal minister in the Sacraments, whose validity and
efficacy do not depend upon the grace of the human minister. He refused to
receive a delegation from an African council in 255 that had declared such
baptisms invalid.
Cyprian summarized his arguments in a letter to Jubaianus in 256. Many other
bishops sided with Cyprian, including those of Cilicia, Cappadocia, Phrygia,
Caesarea, and Tarsus. They assumed that this was a matter of discipline and
not of faith, that it could vary by local tradition.
Once again the Church was guarded from error by the Holy Spirit, without
Whose special protection even holy and earnest men are prone to err. Pope
Saint Stephen saw the implications that would result from Cyprian's belief
and declared that no innovation was to be allowed and threatened Cyprian and
his followers with excommunication. Eusebius mentions that Saint Dionysius
of Alexandria intervened to keep this from happening. Saint Augustine writes
that "Stephen thought of excommunicating them; but being endued with the
bowels of holy charity, he judged it better to abide in union. The peace of
Christ overcame in their hearts."
Saint Vincent of Lérins wrote: "When all cried out against the novelty, and
the priests everywhere opposed it in proportion to everyone's zeal, then
Pope Stephen, of blessed memory, bishop of the apostolic see, stood up, with
his other colleagues, against it, but he in a signal manner above the rest,
thinking it fitting, I believe, that he should go beyond them as much by the
ardor of his faith as he was raised above them by the authority of his see.
In his letter to the church of Africa he thus decrees: 'Let no innovation be
introduced, but let that be observed which is handed down to us by
tradition.' The prudent and holy man understood that the rule of piety
admits nothing new, but that all things are to be delivered down to our
posterity with the same fidelity with which they were received; and that it
is our duty to follow religion, and not make religion follow us; for the
proper characteristic of a modest and sober Christian is, not to impose his
own conceits upon posterity, but to make his own imaginations bend to the
wisdom of those that went before him. What then was the issue of this grand
affair, but that which is usual?-antiquity kept possession, and novelty was
exploded."
Tradition, as recorded by Saint Gregory the Great in his Sacramentary, says
that Stephen was beheaded while seated in his presidential chair during the
celebration of Mass in the catacombs (which is very similar to the story of
the martyrdom of his successor, Saint Sixtus II). The earliest liturgical
documents, however, present him as a bishop and confessor, not martyr. He
was buried in the cemetery of Saint Callixtus. His relics were translated to
Pica in 1682, where they are venerated in the church named after him. His
head is enshrined in Cologne, Germany (Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopedia,
Farmer, Husenbeth).
In art, Pope Saint Stephen is depicted beheaded in his chair at Mass. He
might also be shown stabbed at the altar or with a sword in his breast
(Roeder).
From:
http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0802.shtml
Saint Quote:
Zeal without knowledge is always less useful and effective than informed
zeal, and is
very often dangerous!
-St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Bible Quote:
I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My
Father, I have made known to you. St. John 15:15
<><><><>
Domine Iesu, Noverim Me
(Lord Jesus, Let Me Know Myself) of St. Augustine
Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know Thee,
And desire nothing save only Thee.
Let me hate myself and love Thee.
Let me do everything for the sake of Thee.
Let me humble myself and exalt Thee.
Let me think of nothing except Thee.
Let me die to myself and live in Thee.
Let me accept whatever happens as from Thee.
Let me banish self and follow Thee,
And ever desire to follow Thee.
Let me fly from myself and take refuge in Thee,
That I may deserve to be defended by Thee.
Let me fear for myself, let me fear Thee,
And let me be among those who are chosen by Thee.
Let me distrust myself and put my trust in Thee.
Let me be willing to obey for the sake of Thee.
Let me cling to nothing save only to Thee,
And let me be poor because of Thee.
Look upon me, that I may love Thee.
Call me that I may see Thee,
And for ever enjoy Thee.
Amen. |
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