FE'LIX. The name of four popes and an anti pope. FELIX I. (Pope, 269-274). Ills pontifi cate is interesting as an early example of the re lations of the Christian Church to the Roman Empire, and of the recognition by the State of the civil rights of Christians. In the pontificate of Felix's predecessor, Dionysius, Paul of Same sata, Bishop of Antioch, had been deposed by a council held in that city. Paul having resisted the sentence, the matter was laid before Felix, Dionysius being now dead; and, as Paul held pos session of the church and church buildings, the bishops were obliged to claim the interference of the Emperor Aurelian, who was passing through Antioch on his return from Palmyra. Aurelian returned a decision to the effect that the build ings should belong to the person "to whom they should be adjudged by the bishops of Italy and Rome." Felix is. perhaps incorrectly, said to have suffered martyrdom in the persecution of the same Emperor, Aurelian, probably in 274. His day is Slay 30th. Certain letters of a later date have been ascribed to him.—FEux 11. (Pope from 355 to 358). He was chosen to occu py the Roman See after the banishment of Li• berius. When the latter returned' to Rome in 358, it is said that the Emperor Constantius pro posed that. Lffierias and Felix should exercise jurisdiction jointly: but the Romans rejected the proposal, and Felix had to give way. lle retired to his estate on the Aurelian Way. and, according io the Libel. Pontifiralis, died n martyr's death in 365. In the Roman Calendar lie appears as saint and martyr, and his day is July 29th.—Fmtx III. (Pope from 483 to 492). Ile was a native of Rome, and of the family from which a fter• wards sprang Pope Gregory the Great. This pon tificate is memorable as presenting the first com mencement of the disruption of the Greek and Roman churches. The contemporary occupant of the See of Constantinople, Acacias, as well as the Imperial Court, were favorers of the Monophysite Party, who refused to accept the decision of the Conneil of Chalcedon. (See SlovoIiivsrrxs.) By their influence the Patriarch of Alexandria was deposed and replaced by the Monophysite Peter Mongus. The deposed l'atriarch having
appealed to Rome. Felix sent two legates to Con stantinople to require his restoration ; and the legates having failed in their trust, and Acaeius still adhering to the heterodox party, Felix assem bled a council at Rome, and excommunicated not only the offending legates, but also Aeacius, the sentence being pinned by a monk upon the back of the Patriarch's robe while he was actually offi ciating in the church. Felix had previously re jected the Henoticon, or decree of union, pub lished by the Emperor Zeno in 482. The schism thus inaugurated (4S4) was not healed till the year 519. The only literary remains of this pon tiff are the letters and other acts of this contro versy. He is a saint in the Roman calendar, and his day is February 250.—FELIX IV. (Pope 526 530). He was a native of Benevento. His pon tificate presents no noteworthy event. He is also a saint in the Roman Calendar, and his day is January 30th.—FEux V. (Antipope from 1439 to 1449). He was Amadeus V111., Duke of Savoy. lie was born in 1383, and succeeded his father, Amadeus V1I., as Count of Savoy in 1391. In 1416 Savoy was erected into a duchy. As a ruler Amadeus was mild, just, and successful, and distinguished for his piety. In 1434 he re signed the rule to his son, and retired to the hermitage of Ripaille, on the south bank of Lake Geneva. There he and some companions lived as hermits. He was nominated in the Council of Basel to succeed Engenius IV. (q.v.) in 1439, and elected on the fifth ballot, although it was ob jected to him that he had been married and had children, and that he was not an ecclesiastic, and had no knowledge of theology or other fitness for the position. His election was not well received, and lie so conspicuously failed to get recognition as Pope from the princes of Europe that he volun tarily resigned after a sehismatical reign of ten years. He was then rewarded by being made Cardinal-Bishop of Basel, Lausanne, Constance, and Strassburg, and also Papal Vicar-General for all the States ruled by the House of Savoy. He died January 7, 1451.