Hormisdas Frusino (450 - 523)

Born 0450 in Frusino, Western Roman Empire

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Biography

Pope St Hormisdas Frusino is Notable.

Hormisdas was born in Frusino in the Western Roman Empire.^[1]

He married and was father to Silverius (later to be Pope Silverius) before being ordained a deacon when widowed.^[1]

In 502 he was a notary at the synod held by Pope Symmachus. He was created Cardinal-Deacon before 514 by Pope Symmachus.^[1]

Upon becoming pope on 20 July 514 he removed the last traces of the schism in Rome, receiving the adherents of the Laurentian party back into the Church. His major focus as pontiff was to restore communion between Rome and Constantinople, a rift that was caused by the Acacian schism.^[1]

Flocknote Popes in a Year ^[2] tells us:

This pope was born into a wealthy Roman family and was married prior to receiving major orders. As a result, being pope became somewhat of the family business, as Hormisdas’ son, Silverius, ascended to the Chair of Peter just 13 years after his father’s death. Prior to being elected, Hormisdas was one of St. Symmachus’ right-hand men during the trying years of Laurentius’ stint as antipope, serving as a deacon for the previous pope. He was elected without issue just a day after his predecessor’s death, on July 20, 514, and reigned for just over nine years. His feast day is August 6.

St. Hormisdas is the man to thank for ending the Acacian Schism, that rift between East and West that lasted roughly three and a half decades. Despite Emperor Anastasius’ dodgy attitude toward bringing about peace, Hormisdas’ persistence throughout his first four years in office finally brought about an agreement. Since it was primarily bishops in the East who were in error, believing that Christ only had one nature (instead of two), it was their signing of a confession of faith written by Hormisdas that officially brought the schism to its happy end.

The confession of faith signed by the Eastern bishops became known as the Formula Hormisdae (“Formula of Hormisdas”) and was, in fact, used at the First Vatican Council nearly fourteen centuries later to help define and solidify our understanding of papal infallibility. That contribution can be read a, in Session 4, Chapter 4.

During his papacy, the Abbey of St. Maurice was built in Switzerland in 515, situated in the southwest corner of the country. It’s still in existence today and is home to 40 canons and 2 lay brothers, who serve five parishes in the nearby Diocese of Sion and operate a prominent secondary school. 15 centuries? Pretty impressive.

His pontificate ended with his death on 6 August 523.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Wikipedia
2. ↑ Flocknote Popes in a Year
   SOURCES (and further reading)
   - John, E. (1964). The Popes: A concise biographical history. New York: Hawthorn Books.
   - Pope St. Hormisdas - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07470a.htm
   - Pope Hormisdas - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Hormisdas
   - The Formula of Pope St. Hormisdas
   - Saint-Maurice d’Agaune - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Maurice_d%27Agaune
3. ↑ Vatican