![[St. Pachomius Library]](title.gif)
St. Anastasius I,
Pope of Rome
IV Century
Pope Anastasius I was among the first to condemn the works of
Origen. Elected to the papacy in 399, Anastasius was a Roman
by birth, and little is known of his early life. In 400, he
called a council to consider the writings of Origen after
the pope had received a letter from Patriarch Theophilus of
Alexandria in which the patriarch expressed strong doubt about
Origen's fidelity to Christian teaching. The council condemned
Origen's work as heterodox, and Rufinus of Aquiliea wrote to the
pope to defend his translation of Origen's First Principles, which
St. Jerome had attacked. Anastasius upheld the council's decision.
He also urged the church in North Africa to continue its struggle
against Donatism. He died in 401 and was buried in the cemetary of
Pontian.
Karen Rae Keck
Return to St Pachomius Library.