Feastday: December 19
Death: 401
Pope Anastasius I was among the first to condemn the works of Origen. Elected to the papacy in 399, Anastasius was a Roman by birth, and little is known of his early life. In 400, he arranged a council to consider the writings of Origen, after receiving a letter from Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria expressing strong doubt about Origen's fidelity to Christian teaching. The council condemned Origen's work as heterodox, and Rufinus of Aquiliea wrote to the pope to defend his translation of Origen's First Principles, which St. Jerome had attacked. Anastasius upheld the council's decision. He also urged the church in North Africa to continue its struggle against Donatism. He died in 401 and was buried in the cemetary of Pontian.
Pope Anastasius I was the bishop of Rome from 27 November 399 to his death on 19 December 401.
Anastasius was born in Rome, and was the son of Maximus. He succeeded Siricius as pope and condemned the writings of the Alexandrian theologian Origen shortly after their translation into Latin. He fought against these writings throughout his papacy, and in 400 he called a council to discuss them. The council agreed that Origen was not faithful to the Church.
If Origen has put forth any other writings, you are to know that they and their author are alike condemned by me. The Lord have you in safe keeping, my lord and brother deservedly held in honour.
— letter to Simplicianus,
During his reign he also encouraged Christians in North Africa to fight Donatism. He instructed priests to stand and bow their head as they read from the gospels. Among his friends were Augustine, Jerome, and Paulinus. Jerome speaks of him as a man of great holiness who was rich in his poverty. He died in Rome and was eventually buried in the Catacomb of Pontian together with his son and immediate successor, Innocent I, which is probably a unique case of a pope being succeeded by his son.
