ST BONIFACE I, POPE AND CONFESSOR

ST BONIFACE I, POPE AND CONFESSOR - 4 SEPTEMBER

SAINT BONIFACE I, POPE AND CONFESSOR

Saint Boniface was a priest of an unblemished character, well versed in the discipline of the church, and advanced in years when he succeeded Zosimus in the pontificate on December 29, 418.

His election was made much against his will, as the relation of it, which was sent by the clergy and people of Rome, and by the neighbouring bishops to the Emperor Honorius, who resided at Ravenna, testifies.

To it concurred seventy priests, some bishops, and the greatest part of the people; but three bishops and some others chose one Eulalius, an ambitious and intriguing man.

A SYNOD WAS ASSEMBLED

Symmachus, prefect of Rome, sent an account of this division or schism to the emperor, who ordered that a synod should be assembled to determine the debate.

The council which met desired that a greater number of prelates should be called, and made certain provisional decrees, to which Eulalius refused to submit. Whereupon he was condemned by a sentence of the council, and the election of Boniface ratified.

HE WAS A LOVER OF PEACE

This pope was a lover of peace, and remarkable for his mildness: yet he would not suffer the bishops of Constantinople to extend their patriarchate into Illyricum or the other western provinces which were then subject to the eastern empire, but had always belonged to the western patriarchate.

HE WAS REMARKABLE FOR HIS MILDNESS

He strenuously maintained the rights of Rufus, bishop of Thessalonica, who was his vicar in Thessaly and Greece, and would allow no election of bishops to be made in those countries which were not confirmed by him, according to the ancient discipline.

In Gaul he restored certain privileges to the metropolitical sees of Narbonne and Vienne, exempting them from any subjection to the primacy of Arles.

THIS HOLY POPE EXERTED HIS ZEAL AGAINST THE PELAGIANS

This holy pope exerted his zeal against the Pelagians, and testified the highest esteem for the great Saint Augustine, who addressed to him four books against the Pelagians.

Saint Boniface in his third letter to Rufus, says: "The blessed apostle Peter received by our Lord’s sentence and commission the care of the whole church, which was founded upon him."

HE DIED IN A.D. 422

Saint Boniface died towards the latter end of the year 422, having sat somewhat above three years and nine months, and was buried in the cemetery of Saint Felicitas, which he had adorned on the Salarian Way.

He had made many rich presents of silver patens, chalices, and other holy vessels to the churches in Rome.

Bede quotes a book of his miracles [...] The epistles of this pope are also printed in the collections of the councils, as in Labbe’s edition, 1582 and 1702.

Source: Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints

PRAYER:

May the intercession of Saint Boniface commend us to you, so that through his merits we may obtain that which we cannot accomplish by our own. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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