Commonitorium super nomine Caelestii of Marius Mercator as a Document of Papal Propaganda on the Eve of the Third Ecumenical Council of 431

Abstract

This article studies the Commonitorium super nomine Caelestii, an information note compiled by Marius Mercator, describing the participation of the Roman See in the condemnation of the heretics Pelagius and Caelestius, mainly during the pontificate of Pope Zosimus (417–418), and addressed to Emperor Theodosius II (408–450) and Patriarch Nestorius of Constantinople (428–431). The aim of the study is to identify the characteristics of Marius Mercator’s presentation of information on ecclesiastical and political events in the first quarter of the fifth century in the western part of the Roman Empire, and to clarify the reliability and comparative completeness of the information reported. The purpose of the article is a critical comparison of the information of Marius Mercator with the data of other official sources, such as: conciliar acts, conciliar epistles, official correspondence of church hierarchs, and documents of imperial legislation. Special emphasis is placed on the analysis of how the Commonitorium presents the role and place of the Roman See, as well as personally of Pope Zosimus in the events related to the dispute over the personalities and doctrines of Pelagius and Caelestius. Based on the work done, the author draws several conclusions. The work of Marius Mercator is replete with numerous inaccuracies, significant omissions and even juggling with facts. With their help, Marius is diligently trying to whitewash Pope Zosimus and present him in the eyes of Emperor Theodosius and Patriarch Nestorius as a consistent adversary of the repeatedly condemned heretics Pelagius and Caelestius, and Pope Zosimus’ letter of repentance (epistula tractoria) as an important church-wide doctrinal document. On the whole, the Commonitorium of Marius Mercator can be seen as a tendentious and manipulative document, the purpose of which was to present in a favourable light the very controversial role played by Pope Zosimus in the events surrounding the condemnation of the heretics Pelagius and Caelestius in the western part of the Roman Empire. This role, according to the author of the article, is clear evidence of the crisis in the reputation and status of the Roman See in the period under consideration.

Keywords

• наставление относительно имени целестия
• epistula tractoria
• марий меркатор
• пелагий
• целестий
• юлиан экланский
• папа иннокентий i
• папа зосим
• iii вселенский собор