Anastasius Maximus

Born [date unknown] in Rome, Western Roman Empire

Died 19 Dec 0401 in Rome, Western Roman Empire

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Deborah Talbot [send private message]

Biography

Pope St Anastasius I Maximus is Notable.

Anastasius, son of Maximus, was born in Rome, Western Roman Empire.^[1]

He was consecrated pope on 27 November 399. After the theologian Origen's works were translated into Latin, Anastasius condemned them and in 400 called a council to discuss them. That council agreed that Origen was not faithful to the Church.^[2]

He also encouraged Christians in North Africa to fight Donatism. Jerome speaks of him as a man of great holiness. Other friends included Augustine and Paulinus.^[1]

On 19 December 401 he died in Rome and later buried in the Catacomb of Pontian.^[3][1]

Flocknote Popes in a Year ^[4] tells us:

A pope who basically just stuck around long enough to see the 5th Century start, Anastasius was elected pope in November 399, soon after the death of Siricius. During his short reign, Anastasius I condemned the heresy of Origenism, a sect that believed primarily in universal salvation (i.e. nobody goes to Hell) and the soul existing before conception (it doesn’t).

He also encouraged North African Catholics to battle Donatism, the “holier than thou” heresy that says only properly pious ministers can confer valid sacraments. Anastasius I died in December of 401. His feast was originally celebrated April 27, but was eventually changed to December 19.

Anastasius had quite the arsenal of saintly friends, having been good buddies with the likes of St. Augustine and St. Jerome. In fact, St. Jerome once wrote about our good pope, saying Anastasius I was a “man of great holiness who was rich in poverty.”

We have still in existence a letter written by St. Anastasius I to Simplicianus, then the bishop of Milan. The letter was written to actively discourage the Church there from reading the heretical books of Origen.^[5]

Around the year 400, the Chrysanthemum (flower) is first introduced into Japan after being grown in China for many centuries before.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Wikipedia Pope "Anastasius I
2. ↑ "Pope Anastasius I". The Ecole Glossary.
3. ↑ Vatican
4. ↑ Flocknote Popes in a Year
   SOURCES (and further reading)
   - John, E. (1964). The Popes: A concise biographical history. New York: Hawthorn Books.
   - Pope St. Anastasius I - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01454c.htm
   - Pope Anastasius I - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Anastasius_I
   - 400s - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/400s_(decade)
5. ↑ Letter XCV. From Pope Anastasius to Simplicianus.