Saint Zosimus-Pope

Catholic Saint

Saint Zosimus-Pope:

Nothing is known about the life of the Greek Zosimus, son of the priest Abram, before he was consecrated bishop of Rome to succeed Pope St. Innocent I on March 18, 417. Like his recent predecessors, Zosimus acted decisively as head of the universal church. However, he ran into trouble when he attempted to overrule certain African bishops in their efforts to discipline their own priests. There was in Africa a well-prescribed system of appeal of ecclesiastical decisions, but the defrocked priests appealed directly to Rome, and Zosimus made the mistake of backing the priests without first allowing the appeals process to run its course. He also caused confusion by referring to a decision of the Council of Nicaea when in reality it had come from the Council of Sardica, and was unknown in Africa. The resulting crisis was but the latest tension in eastern western Church relations that was eventually to lead to a parting of ways between them. Zosimus issued decrees instructing deacons in the country parishes of the Roman Church to wear the maniple on the dedication of the Easter candles and forbidding clerics to visit taverns. He died on December 27, 418, after a reign of 21 months, and was buried in the sepulchral Church of St. Laurence in Agro Verano.