Pope Honorius I(died 12 October 638)[1]was thebishop of Romefrom 27 October 625 to his death. He was active in spreading Christianity amongAnglo-Saxonsand attempted to convince theCeltstocalculate Easterin the Roman fashion. He is chiefly remembered for his correspondence with PatriarchSergius I of Constantinopleover the latter'smonotheliteteachings. Honorius was posthumouslyanathematized,initially for subscribing to monothelitism, and later only for failing to end it. The anathema against Honorius I became one of the central arguments against the doctrine ofpapal infallibility.
Honorius I | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Rome | |
 Mosaic atSaint Agnes Outside the Walls | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Papacy began | 27 October 625 |
| Papacy ended | 12 October 638 |
| Predecessor | Boniface V |
| Successor | Severinus |
| Personal details | |
| Born | |
| Died | 12 October 638 |
| Other popes named Honorius | |
Early life
editHonorius was a rich aristocrat who came fromCampania.His father was the consul Petronius. Nothing is known about Honorius I's career before hebecame popeon 27 October 625. He wasconsecratedonly two days after the death of his predecessor,Boniface V.Thevacancywas short probably because of the presence in Rome ofIsaac the Armenian,who was empowered toconfirm the electionas the imperialexarch in Italy.[2]
Papacy
editAs pope, Honorius I looked up toGregory Iand employed monks rather than secular clergy as staff at theLateran Palace.He initially supportedAdaloald,the deposed Catholicking of the Lombards,but established cordial relations with Adoald'sArianrivalArioald.He did not succeed in resolving the schism of Venetia-Istria, but took steps to appease thearchbishops of Ravenna,who were dissatisfied with their subordination to Rome. Honorius actively supported the difficultChristianisation of Anglo-Saxon Englandand sentBirinusto convert theWest Saxons,but less successful in convincing theCeltsto abandontheir systemofcomputing the date of Easter.At theSixth Council of Toledo,Honorius urged the Visigothic bishops to continuebaptizing Jews,a policy instituted by Gregory I.[2]
Honorius became involved in early discussions regarding the doctrine ofMonothelitism,which is the teaching that Christ has only one energy and one will, in contrast with the teaching that he has two energies and two wills, both human and divine.[3]PatriarchSergius I of Constantinoplewrote an initial letter informing Honorius of theMonoenergismcontroversy, asking Honorius to endorse a position that Church unity should not be endangered by having any discussions or disputes over Christ’s possessing one energy or two. Sergius added that the doctrine of two energies could lead to the erroneous belief that Jesus has two conflicting wills.[4]Pope Honorius’ reply in 635 endorsed this view that all discussions over energies should cease, and agreed that Jesus does not have two conflicting wills, but one will, since Jesus did not assume the vitiated human nature tainted byAdam's fall, but human nature as it existed prior to Adam's fall.[5]
Honorius however did not endorse Monothelitism as his latter accusers would charge him. Rather it was known in the west that he was not aMonotheliteand his secretary and author of the letter, the Abbot John, testified that"When we spoke of a single will in the Lord, we did not have in view His double nature, divine and human, but His humanity only…. We meant that Jesus Christ did not have two contrary wills, that is to say one of the flesh and one of the spirit, as we ourselves have on account of sin, but that, with regard to His humanity, He had but one natural will."[6]
Pope John IV,Honorius' near immediate successor, also noted that Honorius spoke"only of the human and not also of the divine nature"when commenting on Honorius' use of the phrase "one will". StMaximus the Confessoris another notable figure who rose to the defense of Honorius' orthodoxy. In writing about Pope Honorius, VenerableBedenotes his constant sanctity, a pointRobert Bellarminedoes not fail to notice and amplify in saying,
For, that Bede considered Honorius to be a holy man, also after his death, is clear both from book 2, chapters 17–19 in his history of the English people, where he often speaks about Honorius as an excellent pastor, and from the life of the Abbot St. Bertolfus, where he calls Honorius, now blessed, now holy, and among other things he also says:Honorius was a venerable bishop, wise in his thinking, strong in giving counsel, clear in doctrine, distinguished for his sweetness and humility.And after that:The holy Pope offered the desired office to the mentioned father Bertolfus, namely, the privileges of the apostolic See, inasmuch as none of the bishops in the previously mentioned cloister attempted to rule in any way.These are Bede’s words about Honorius; certainly he would not have said such things, if he considered him to be a condemned heretic, as the adversaries claim.[7]
Honorius was apparently aware of therise of Islamand viewed this religion's tenets as closely resembling those ofArius.[8]
Legacy
editIn theThird Council of Constantinopleon 16 September 681,[9]the monothelites wereanathematizedby name "and with them Honorius, who was Prelate of Rome, as having followed them in all things" in the XIII session. Citing his written correspondence with Sergius, Honorius was subsequently accused of having confirmed his impious doctrines; the XVI session reaffirmed the condemnation of the heretics explicitly stating "to Honorius, the heretic, anathema!",[10][11]and concluding with the decree of the XVII session that Honorius had not stopped provoking scandal and error in the Body of the Church; for he had "with unheard of expressions disseminated amidst the faithful people the heresy of the one will", doing so "in agreement with the insane false doctrine of the impious Apollinaire, Severus and Themistius".[12]The Roman legates made no objection to his condemnation.[1]
Pope Leo II's letter of confirmation of the Council commended it for it had "perfectly preached the definition of the true faith"[13]and made reference to the condemnation of his predecessor:[14]
We anathematize the inventors of the new error, that is,Theodore, Bishop of Pharan,Sergius,Pyrrhus,Paul,andPeter,betrayers rather thanleadersof theChurch of Constantinople,and also Honorius, who did not attempt to sanctify this Apostolic Church with the teaching of apostolic tradition, but by profane treachery permitted its purity to be polluted.[12]
Within the year a Latin translation of the Acts of the council had been disseminated and signed by the Bishops throughout the West. The condemnation of Pope Honorius was reiterated by Pope Leo's successors and[15]subsequent councils,[16]and was included in Breviary lessons up until the eighteenth century. As a result, Honorius would later be the subject of vigorous attacks by opponents ofpapal infallibilityin the discussions surrounding theFirst Vatican Councilof 1870.[1]In contemporary times, that Honorius actually agreed with Sergius on the doctrine of monothelitism has given rise to much discussion, andJohn B. Buryargues that the most reasonable conclusion is that Honorius did not really apprehend the point at issue, considering it more a question of grammar than theology, for he placed "one energy" and "two energies" on exactly the same footing; in Bury's words, "it was for the 'imprudent economy of silence' that he was condemned".[17]
References
edit- ^abcChapman, John (1910)..In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^abAttwater, Aubrey (1939).A Dictionary of Popes: From Peter to Pius XII.pp. 67–68.
- ^Catholic Encyclopedia: Monothelitism and Monothelites
- ^Hefele, p. 25
- ^Hefele, pp. 29–30
- ^Migne.Patrologia Graeca.Vol. 91. pp. 328–329.
- ^Bellarmine, Robert (2016).Controversies of the Christian Faith.Translated by Baker, Kenneth. Keep the Faith, Incorporated. p. 997.ISBN978-0-9912268-6-3.
- ^Ata Ur-Rahim, Thomson 2003, p. 148., quote: "Pope Honorius was aware of the rising tide of Islam, whose tenets very much resembled those ofArius.The mutual killing of Christians by each other was still fresh in his memory, and perhaps he thought that what he had heard about Islam might be applied in healing the differences between the various Christian sects. In his letters he began to support the doctrine of 'one mind' within the doctrine of Trinity. He argued that if God had three independent minds, the result would be chaos. This logical and reasonable conclusion pointed to the belief in the existence of One God. "
- ^George Ostrogorsky,History of the Byzantine State(Rutgers University Press, 1995), 127.
- ^Percival, Henry Robert (1900).The Seven Ecumenical Councils of the Undivided Church.A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church (second series). Vol. XIV. James Parker & Co. p. 343.Retrieved9 September2021.
- ^Mansi.Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio.Vol. XI. p. 622.Retrieved9 September2021.,quote: "[...] Sergio hæretico anathema, Cyro hæretico anathema,Honorio hæretico anathema,Pyrro hæretico anathema [...] "
- ^abMansi, XI, col. 733
- ^Chapman, John.Condemnation of Pope Honorius.pp. 112–115 para. 24.
- ^Grisar, Hartmann (1899).Analecta romana.Rome: Desclée Lefebvre. pp. 406–407.Retrieved9 September2021.
- ^Religion past & present: encyclopedia of theology and religion([4th, English] ed.). Leiden: Brill. 2007–2013.ISBN9789004146662.
- ^Hefele, C.J (1909).Histoire des Conciles, vol III.Paris. pp. 520–521.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^Bury, p. 252
Bibliography
edit- Bury, John B.,A history of the later Roman empire from Arcadius to Irene, Volume 2 (2005)
- Harkianakis, Stylianos(2008).The Infallibility of the Church in Orthodox Theology.Sydney: St Andrew's Orthodox Press.ISBN9781920691981.
- Hefele, Charles J.,A History of the Councils of the Church, From the Original Documents, Volume 5 (1896)
- Meyendorff, John(1989).Imperial unity and Christian divisions: The Church 450–680 A.D.The Church in history. Vol. 2. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press.ISBN9780881410556.
- Phillips, Walter Alison(1911)..Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 13 (11th ed.). pp. 660–661, see first para.
1. Honorius I., pope from 625 to 638, was...
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