<GetPassage xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xmlns="http://chs.harvard.edu/xmlns/cts">
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                <urn>urn:cts:pdlrefwk:viaf88890045.003.perseus-eng1:S.siricius_1</urn>
                <passage>
                    <TEI xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><text xml:base="urn:cts:pdlrefwk:viaf88890045.003.perseus-eng1"><body xml:lang="eng" n="urn:cts:pdlrefwk:viaf88890045.003.perseus-eng1"><div type="textpart" subtype="alphabetic_letter" n="S"><div type="textpart" subtype="entry" xml:id="siricius-bio-1" n="siricius_1"><head><persName xml:lang="la"><surname full="yes">Siri'cius</surname></persName></head><p>Upon the death of Damasus in <date when-custom="384">A. D. 384</date>, Siricius. a Roman
      presbyter, was nominated his successor by the united suffrages of all classes of the
      community, and his conduct throughout the fourteen years during which he occupied the papal
      chair proved the wisdom of the choice. Of simple habits and gentle disposition, he laboured
      incessantly to preserve the purity and unity of the Church over which he presided, his efforts
      being chiefly directed against the growing heresy of the Priscillianists, who had made great
      progress in Gaul, against Jovinian and his followers, and against the usurpation of the see of
      Antioch by the perjured Flavianus. with whom, however, he was eventually reconciled, through
      the mediation of Chrysostom. His death happened towards the close of the year <date when-custom="398">A. D. 398</date>.</p><div><head>Works</head><p>Six epistles by this prelate have been preserved, being, as Du Pin observes, the first
       decretals which truly belong to the pope whose name they bear.</p><div><head>I. <title xml:lang="la">Ad Himerium Tarraconensem Episcopum</title></head><p>Written <date when-custom="385">A. D. 385</date>, in reply to several questions which had been
        proposed to Damasus, in reference to the re-admission of Arians; to the period at which
        baptism ought to be administered; to the forgiveness of contrite apostates; to the
        lawfulness of marrying a woman already promised to another ; to the treatment of penitents
        who had relapsed into sin; to the necessity of celibacy in the clergy ; to the conduct to be
        observed by those ecclesiastics who were married before they entered the priesthood ; to the
        ordination of monks; and to penance among the clergy. There is one instructive passage, in
        which the education and progress of those trained for the ministry is distinctly defined ;
        although the rules here laid down were probably never strictly observed. A youth, we are
        told, intended for Holy Orders, ought to be baptized when very young, and placed among the
        readers ; at the age of thirty, if he has conducted himself with propriety, he may become an
        acolyte and sub-deacon, provided always he does not marry more than once, and does not marry
        a widow ; five years afterwards he may be ordained deacon, when he must bind himself to
        celibacy; after another period of five years has elapsed he may be admitted to the
        priesthood, that is, he may become a presbyter; and in ten years more may be made a
        bishop.</p></div><div><head>II. <title xml:lang="la">Ad Anysium Thessalonicensen Episcopum</title></head><p>Of uncertain date, but belonging probably to A. D. 385, requesting information with regard
        to the state of the Churches in Illyria.</p></div><div><head>III. <title xml:lang="la">Ad Episcopos Africae</title></head><p>Written on the 6th of January, <date when-custom="386">A. D. 386</date>. It has always been
        regarded with suspicion and almost proved to be a forgery by the researches of Quesnel
         (<title xml:lang="la">Append. ad Leonis Magni Opera Diss.</title> xv.), although its
        anthenticity <pb n="841"/> has found a warm advocate in Baluze. (See his <title xml:lang="la">Dissertatio de Concilio Teleptensi.</title>)</p></div><div><head>IV. <title xml:lang="la">Ad diversos Episcopos.</title></head><p>The original title is lost. Written, probably, about <date when-custom="386">A. D. 386</date>,
        exhorting the prelates to whom it is addressed to observe closely the rules laid down by the
        Council of Nice regarding the choice and ordination of bishops.</p></div><div><head>V. <title xml:lang="la">Ad diversos Episcopos contra Jovinianum</title></head><p> written about the commencement of <date when-custom="389">A. D. 389</date>, announcing to the
        Church at Milan the condemnation of Jovinian by the unanimous voice of the whole Roman
        clergy assembled in judgment (<quote xml:lang="la">omnium nostrum tam Presbyterorum et
         Diaconorum, quam etiam totius Cleri una sententia</quote>). The reply of Ambrose is still
        extant.</p></div><div><head>VI. <title xml:lang="la">Ad Anysium Thessalonicensem Episcopum et alios Illyrici
         Episcopos de Bonoso.</title></head><p>Written at the very end of <date when-custom="391">A. D. 391</date>, or in the early part of A.
        D. 392, in reply to the application of the Illyrian bishops, who had requested his advice
        with regard to Bonosus, charged with having maintained that the Virgin Mary had borne
        children after the birth of our Lord. A reference is here made to the deliberations upon
        this very question at the Council of Capua, held in November, <date when-custom="391">A. D.
         391</date>. This letter was ascribed at one time to Ambrose, and by some, most ignorantly,
        to Damasus, but has been fully proved by Justellus, in his Code of Canons (8vo. Par. 1610,
        1615, 1660, <hi rend="ital">Not. ad Canon. 48, Cod. Eccl. Afric.</hi>), and by others to be
        the production of Siricius.</p></div><div><head>Lost Epistles</head><p>Several epistles have been lost, such as :--<title xml:lang="la">Ad Maximum
         Imperatorem,</title>
        <date when-custom="385">A. D. 385</date>, praying for the discouragement of the Priscillianists;
         <title xml:lang="la">De Ithacianorum Causa,</title>
        <date when-custom="386">A. D. 386</date>; <title xml:lang="la">Ad Theodosium Imperatorem,</title>
        against Flavianus; <title xml:lang="la">Ad Rufinum,</title> A. D. 398. an account of which,
        as well as of those falsely attributed to Siricius, will be found in Constant.</p></div></div><div><head>Editions</head><p><bibl>The six epistles are contained in the <title>Epistolae Pontificum Romanorum</title>
        of Constant, fol. Paris, 1721, vol. i. p. 622</bibl>; and <bibl>under their best form in the
         <title>Bibliotheca Patrum</title> of Galland, vol. vii. (fol. Venet. 1770), p.
       533.</bibl></p></div><div><head>Further Information</head><p>Consult the notes of Coustant, and the <title>Prolegomena</title> of Galland to vol. vii.
       cap. xiii. p. xviii. ; Dupin, <title>Ecclesiastical History of the Fourth Century</title>;
       Schönemann, <hi rend="ital">Bibliotheca Patrum Lat.</hi> vol. i. cap. 50.23.</p></div><byline>[<ref target="author.W.R">W.R</ref>]</byline></div></div></body></text></TEI>
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