Pope Siricius

Relationship to heretics and heathens

Siricius helped to mend the Meletian schism in Antioch.^[2] The schism stemmed from repeated exiles of Meletius of Antioch by Arianist Roman emperors over theological differences. Although Meletius himself had been in sufficiently good standing to lead the First Council of Constantinople in 381, his death at the council re-ingited the schism, as Meletius's followers objected to his successor.^[4] By the mediation of St. John Chrysostom and Theophilus of Alexandria an embassy, led by Bishop Acacius of Beroea, was sent to Rome to persuade Siricius to recognize Flavian and to readmit him to communion with the Church of Rome.^[2]

When the Spanish bishop and ascetic Priscillian, accused by his fellow bishops of heresy, was executed by Emperor Magnus Maximus under the charge of magic, Siricius—along with Ambrose of Milan and Martin of Tours—protested against the verdict to the emperor.^[3]

Some older sources claim Siricius fought against Manichaeism in Rome, though this is likely a mistake. Louis Duchesne's 19th century version of the Liber Pontificalis claimed that Siricius took severe measures against the Manichaeans in Rome, but Duchesne also notes that Saint Augustine does not mention any such repression. As Augustine had converted from Manichaeism to Catholicism while living in Rome under Siricius's reign, later authors generally believe these anti-Manichaean efforts were misattributed to Siricius, when they actually occurred under the later Pope Leo I. Confusion may also stem from anti-Manchaean actions undertaken by Siricius's contemporary Western Roman emperors, including Honorius and Valentinian II.^[2]

Papal titles

Siricius is sometimes said to be the first bishop of Rome to style himself pope,^[5] but other authorities say the title pope was from the early 3rd century an honorific designation used for any bishop in the West.^[6] In the East it was used only for the patriarch of Alexandria.^[6] Marcellinus (d. 304) is the first bishop of Rome shown in sources to have had the title pope used of him. From the 6th century, the imperial chancery of Constantinople normally reserved this designation for the bishop of Rome.^[6] From the early 6th century, it began to be confined in the West to the bishop of Rome, a practice that was firmly in place by the 11th century.^[6]

Siricius is also one of the popes presented in various sources as having been the first to bear the title pontifex maximus. Others that are said to have been the first to bear the title are Callistus I, Damasus I, Leo I, and Gregory I. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church indicates instead that it was in the fifteenth century (when the Renaissance stirred up new interest in ancient Rome) that pontifex maximus became a regular title of honour for popes.^[7]