CORNELIUS.
COrnelius was ordained Bishop of Rome, towards the beginning of the year 251. Soon after, Novatian got himself ordained by three Bishops, but his Ordination being Irregular, was Condemned, and Cornelius acknowledged to be the true Bishop of Rome by all the Bishops * 1.1 in the World.
He was sent into Banishment in the Persecution of the Emperor Gallus, and then receiv'd the Crown of Martyrdom, towards the end of the Year 253. after he had presided in the Roman Chair two Years and some Months.
There are two Letters of this Pope amongst St. Cyprian's, and a 1.2 Eusebius mentions three more.
In the first, he informs Fabius, Bishop of Antiio••, of what had passed in the Synod held at Rome against Novatian, and sends him the opinion of the Italian and African Bishops.
In the second, he gives a more particular Account of the Decrees of this Synod; and in the third, he describes the Manners and Actions of Novatian. Eusebius has preserved a long Fragment of this last Letter, wherein Cornelius describes the Artifices which Novatian had used, to get himself Ordained Bishop, by abusing the simplicity and easiness of three Bishops, one of whom having acknowledged his Crime, did Penance for it. He afterwards observes, that there were at that time in the Church of Rome, 44 Priests, 7 Deacons, and as many Sub-Deacons, 42 Acolyths, 52 Porters and Exorcists, without reckoning the Widows and Poor, upwards of 1500, and a b 1.3 very great multitude of People.
He adds, That Novatian could never hope to arrive to the Episcopal Order, because he was Baptized in his Bed, and never received Imposition from the hands of the Bishop, that is to say, the Sacrament of Confirmation, and was afterwards ordained Priest only at the request of a Bishop, contrary to the Order of the Church, which Prohibits the Ordaining of those who had been Baptized after that man∣ner: He reproaches him for denying his Sacerdotal Function in time of Persecution; as also for obli∣ging those of his own Party, when he gave them the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (instead of an∣swering Amen, as was the custom of the Church) to Swear, that they would never return to Cornelius's Party. Lastly, he informs Fabius, that the Confessors of Rome had left his Party, and that several Bi∣shops, whose names he sends him, were condemned in a Synod. This Letter, as well as the others, sent by Cornelius to the East, were in all probability written in Greek. In the Bibliotheca Patrum, we find a very short Letter, attributed to Cornelius, directed to Lupinicus, Bishop of Vienna; but that Let∣ter does not belong to this Pope, no more than the two others which go under his name in the De∣cretals. For first of all it is not of the same Style with those we find in St. Cyprian. Secondly, the word Mass, which was unknown at that time, occurs there. And thirdly, it is unworthy of this Pope, and 'tis plain, it was counterfeited by some ignorant Impostor. The Style of Cornelius, as far as we are able to judge of it, by those few Letters of his that are still extant, is not very lofty; though he sets off what ever he says, turning every thing to his own advantage, and does not spare his Enemy in the least.