Pope Felix III
Born into a Roman senatorial family, Felix was a widower with two children when he was elected to succeed Pope Simplicius in 483. He is believed to be an ancestor of Gregory the Great.
Felix took the papal throne in the midst of controversy over Monophysitism. Following his predecessor's lead, he opposed the policies of Emperor Zeno and repudiated the Henotikon. Felix also excommunicated Acacius, the Bishop of Constantinople who supported Zeno's position, thus initiating the Acacian Schism. This split between the Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic Churches would last 35 years.
Pope Felix also called a synod which confirmed his actions regarding the Monophysites, and in March of 487 a Lateran Council took place wherein was addressed the issue of readmitting to the church rebaptized Africans.
Felix would be succeeded by Gelasius I. He is sometimes numbered as Felix II, due to the fourth-century antipope Felix II (who is not always counted in the papal chronology).
Important Dates
Begins papacy: March 13, 483
Died: March 1, 492
At About
Biography: Pope Felix III
Brief biography and collection of useful resources, by Austin Cline at the Atheism/Agnosticism site.
On the Web
Catholic Encyclopedia: Pope St. Felix III
Concise explanation of the situation surrounding Felix' papacy and the actions taken by the pope, by Ambrose Coleman.Pope Felix III
Brief but well-hyperlinked biography at Wikipedia.
In Print
The links below will take you to a site where you can compare prices at booksellers across the web. More in-depth info about the book may be found by clicking on to the book's page at one of the online merchants.
Lives of the Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to John Paul II
by Richard P. McBrienChronicle of the Popes: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Papacy over 2000 Years
by P. G. Maxwell-Stuart
Related Resources
The Papacy
Index of sites regarding the Popes and the political entity of the Papal States, their impact on medieval culture, and the schisms they endured and overcame.Early Europe
Directory of sites that offer useful resources for the study of Europe in Late Antiquty, or shortly after the fall of Rome.
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