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There were three African Popes who came from the region of North Africa.
Although there are no authentic portraits of these popes, there are
drawings and references in the Catholic Encyclopedia as to their being
of African background. The names of the Three African Popes are: Victor (183-203 A.D.),
Gelasius (492-496 A.D.), and Mechiades or Militiades (311-314 A.D.). All are saints.
Pope Saint Victor 1
Saint Victor was born in Africa and bore a Latin name as most African did at that time.
Saint Victor was the fifteenth pope and a native of black Africa. He served from 186 A.D.
until 197 A.D. He served during the reign of Emperor Septimus Severus, also African, who
had led Roman legions in Britain. Some of the known contributions of Victor were his reaffirming
the holy feast of Easter to be held on Sunday as Pius has done. As a matter of fact, he called
Theophilous, Bishop of Alexandria, on the carpet for not doing this. He also condemned and
excommunicated Theodore of Byzantium because of the denial of the divinity of Jesus Christ.
He added acolytes to the attendance of the clergy. He was crowned with martyrdom. He was pope
for ten years, two months and ten days. He was buried near the body of the apostle Peter, the
first pope in Vatican. Some reports relate that St. Victor died in 198 A.D. of natural causes.
Other accounts stated he suffered martyrdom under Servus. He is buried in St. Peter's Basilica
in Vatican City near the "Convessio."
Pope Saint Victor 1 feast day is July 28th.
Pope Saint Gelasius 1
Saint Gelasius was born in Rome of African parents and was a member of the Roman clergy
from youth. Of the three African popes, Gelasius seems to have been the busiest. He occupied
the holy papacy four years, eight months and eighteen days from 492 A.D. until 496 A.D.
Gelasius followed up Militades' work with the Manicheans. He exiled them from Rome and
burned their books before the doors of the basilica of the holy Mary. He delivered the
city of Rome from the peril of famine. He was a writer of strong letters to people of
all rank and classes. He denounced Lupercailia, a fertility rite celebration. He asked
them sternly why the gods they worshipped had not provided calm seas so the grain ships
could have reached Rome in time for the winter. He wrote to Femina, a wealthy woman of
rank, and asked her to have the lands of St. Peter, taken by the barbarians and the Romans,
be returned to the church. The lands were needed for the poor who were flocking to Rome. His
theory on the relations between the Church and the state are explained in the Gelasian Letter
to the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius. He was known for his austerity of life and liberality to the poor.
There is today in the library of the church at Rome a 28 chapter document on church administration and
discipline. Pope Saint Gelasius 1 feast day is November 21st.
Pope Saint Miliades 1
Saint Miltiades was one of the Church's Black Popes. Militades occupied the papacy from 311 to 314
A.D. serving four years, seven months and eight days. Militiades decreed that none of the faithful
should fast on Sunday or on the fifth day of the week ...because this was the custom of the pagans.
He also found residing in Rome a Persian based religion call Manichaenism. He furthered decreed that
consecrated offerings should be sent throughout the churches from the pope's consecration. This was call
leaven. It was Militiades who led the church to final victory over the Roman Empire. Militiades was buried
on the famous Appain Way.
Pope Saint Militiades feast day is December 10th.
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