Pope St. Simplicius
Simplicius was pope when the last Roman Emperor, Julius Nepos, was deposed by Odoacer in 476.
Born in Tivoli, near Rome, Simplicius was elected to succeed Hilarius in 468. The empire had long since declined, and the papacy was struggling to preserve its religious authority amidst political turmoil. Simplicius worked to defend the Italian peoples against barbarian invasion, but he had comparatively little trouble with Odoacer, who, though an Arian, was respectful of the Catholic Church.
Simplicius faced more challenges from the East. In the Byzantine Empire, the Emperor Zeno was overthrown by Basiliscus. Basiliscus supported the Monophysite doctrine, a heretical theory that maintained that Christ has only one nature rather than two. Monophysite heretics took over significant sees in Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem.
When Zeno regained the throne, he surprised many by seeking to reconcile Monophysites with Orthodox Christians instead of attempting to stamp out the heresy. His actions were well-received by the Monophysites, but Simplicius and other Catholics were offended by some aspects of Zeno's policy. This would lead to a rift known as the Acacian Schism, after Acacius, the Bishop of Constantinople who allied himself with Zeno.
Simplicius would be succeeded by Felix III.
Important Dates
Elected Pope: March 3, 468
Died: March 10, 483
At About
Biography: Pope Simplicius
Brief biography and collection of useful resources, by Austin Cline at the Atheism/Agnosticism site.
On the Web
Catholic Encyclopedia: Pope St. Simplicius
Thorough overview of the pontificate of Simplicius by J. P. Kirsch.St. Simplicius
Accessible biography at Christ's Faithful People.Pope Simplicius
Useful collection of data at the Patron Saints Index.
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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