Julius Di Roma

Born [date unknown] in Rome, Roman Empire

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Biography

Pope St Julius I Di Roma is Notable.

Julius was born in Rome.^[1]

He was consecrated Bishop of Rome on 6 February 337 four months after the death of his predecessor Pope Mark.^[2]

He is notable for asserting the authority of the pope over the Arian Eastern bishops.^[2]

He died on 12 April 352 in Rome.^[2]

Flocknote Popes in a Year ^[3] tells us:

Born in Rome, Pope St. Julius I was elected pope on February 6, 337 and reigned for 15 years. He knew the great St. Athanasius, who was the on-again-off-again Bishop of Alexandria at the time, and even spoke up on his behalf when Athanasius’ enemies sought to remove him (more on that in a minute).

Julius I died on April 12 (352), the same day on which his feast is now celebrated, and he was buried in a church he constructed, attached to the cemetery of St. Callixtus.

With the Arian heresy still brewing within the Church, St. Julius I is best known for firmly making his presence known in one particular dispute that took place in the eastern part of the Church. As mentioned, when Athanasius was Bishop of Alexandria, he was deposed once, then restored through the intervention of the emperor, Constantine II. Then, at the same time that a certain Eusebius (not the pope nor the historian) sent delegates to the pope trying to get him removed again, Athanasius was deposed by a different group back in Alexandria. So, Pope Julius, wanting to resolve it once and for all, wrote to both parties and invited them to Rome for a doctrinal cage match.

This meeting - called a synod - was convened in 340 or 341, with the honorable Pope Julius I presiding. After hearing both sides of the story, Julius declared in favor of Athanasius and Marcellus (another legit bishop who had been deposed) and restored them both to office.

In his letter (which still exists) written to the heretical bishops of Antioch - who had conveniently skipped out on this meeting in Rome - Julius wrote:

“Can you be ignorant that this is the custom, that we should be written to first, so that from here what is just may be defined?” - Pope St. Julius I

Julius said this because he knew it was uniquely his place as the pope to depose bishops, something that was confirmed in a general council just a year or two later.

We can thank St. Julius I for officially determining that Christmas, the Nativity of Jesus, would be celebrated on December 25, while Epiphany would stay on January 6. Earlier records show that the Church had already been commemorating this day for at least 100 years earlier, but Julius wanted to make it official.

Sources

1. ↑ Vatican
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Wikipedia Pope Julius I
3. ↑ Flocknote Popes in a Year
   SOURCES (and further reading)
   - John, E. (1964). The Popes: A concise biographical history. New York: Hawthorn Books.
   - Pope St. Julius I - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08561a.htm
   - Pope Julius I - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Julius_I
   - 340s - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/340s