The following are excerpts from:
The Book of Pontiffs (Liber Pontificalis) (trans. Raymond Davis; Liverpool: Liverpool University
Press, 1989)
MARCELLINUS
[295 – Autumn 303] . . . was taken to
sacrifice, to offer incense, which he did. After a few days, overcome with
repentance, along with Claudius, Cyrinus and Antoninus, he was beheaded, and
crowned with martyrdom by Diocletian. (p. 12)
LIBERIUS (17. 5. 252 – 24. 9. 366], born in Rome, son of Augustus,
held the see 6 years 3 months 4 days. . . . He was sent into exile by Constantius
for refusing to agree wot the Arian heresy, and spent 3 years in exile. . . .
Liberius agreed with the emperor’s orders that he should share in a single
communion with the heretics, provide that they did not rebaptize. Then they
recalled Liberius from exile. (p. 28)
HONORIUS [27. 10. 625 – 12. 10. 638], born in Campania, son of
the council Pertronius, held the see 12 years 11 months 17 days. In his time he
did much good. He educated the clergy.
He renewed
all the sacred equipment at St. Peter’s and covered the apostle’s confessio
with fine silver weighing 187 lb. He covered the great main doors into the
church—the ones called Mediana—with silver weighing 975 lb. He provide two
pairs of great silver candlesticks, which are in front of St. Peter’s body,
each weighing 62 lb. In the same place at St Andrew’s, in front of the confessio,
he provided a silver panel weighing 73 lb. In his time 16 roofbeams were hoisted
up at St Peter’s. HE covered the whole church with bronze tiles which he removed
from the temple called that of Rome, with the assent of the pious emperor
Heraclius.
Then he
built from the ground up the church of St Agnes the martyr at the 3rd mile from
Rome on the Via Nomentana, where the body rests. HE decorated it to perfection
on every side, and there he put many gifts. He also decorated it to perfection
on every side, and there he put many gifts. He also decorate her tomb with
silver weighing 252 lb; over it he placed a bronze-gift canopy of marvellous
size, and he provided 3 gold bowls each weighing 1 lb; the apse of the same
basilica he made of mosaic, and there too he presented many gifts.
In Rome he
also built from the ground up the basilica of St Apollinaris the martyr, in the portico
of St Peter’s which is called ad Palmata, and there he bestowed many
gifts. In the church he issued a decree, that every week on Saturday a litany
should come out from St Apollinaris’ to St Peter with hymns and chants, and the
whole people should join in it.
He built
from the ground up the church to St Cyriac the martyr at the 7th mile on the Via
Ostiensis, and there he presented a gift.
Then he
built a church to the holy martyrs the Quattuor Coronati; he dedicated it and
presented a gift.
He built
from the ground up a church to St Severinus close to the city of Tibur at the
20th mile from Rome; he dedicated it and presented many gifts.
He also
renewed the cemetery of Saints Marcellinus and Peter the martyrs on the Via
Labicana.
Then he
built from the ground up a basilica to St Pancras the martyr at the 2nd mile
from Rome on the Via Aurelia, and decorated his tomb with silver weighing 120 lb;
<and there he established a mill on the wall at the place of Trajan close to
the city wall and the channel which brings water in Lacus Sabbatinus, and under
it a channel which brings the water of the Tiber;> and he built a silver
canopy above the altar, weighing 187 lb. He provided 5 silver arches each weighing
15 lb, and 3 gold candelabra, which weighed 1 lb; he also presented many good
things there.
In Rome he
built the church of St Lucy close to St Silvester’s; he also dedicated it and
presented many gifts.
He built
the church of St Hadrian at the Three Fates; he also dedicated it and presented
many gifts.
<He
made in his own house close to the Lateran a monastery in honour of Saint
Andrew and Bartholomew the apostles, which is called that of Honorius; there he
also presented estates and gifts.>
He did
much else which would take too long to recount. <He built many basilicas and
monasteries for monks; he confirmed the decree of St Gregory on the Antiphonal
and order of offices and gesima; and at Easter and Whitsun, as the people were
displeased, they should recite only 3 lessons and 3 psalms like the Roman church,
and should perform their office in the Roman manner during all of those two
weeks.> He performed three <December> ordinations, 13 priests, 11 deacons;
for various places 81 bishops. He was buried in the above place <at St Peter’s>
on 10 October. The bishopric was vacant 1 year 7 months 18 days. (pp. 64-65)
