St. Felix IV

Felix IV Elected pope in 526, St. Felix IV was the candidate of King Theodoric, whose daughter Amalasuntha allowed the pope to judge clergy who were accused of misconduct. Felix turned a pagan temple into the church of Sts. Cosmas and Damian. In 529, he sent twenty-five chapters on grace and free to Cćsarius of Arles. The Second Council of Orange accepted them as a condemnation of semi-Pelgianism and as a confirmation of the teachings of St. Augustine. Felix died in 530 and was buried in the portico of St. Peter's.

Pope and bishop of Rome from 526 to 530

Pope Felix IV (489/490 – 22 September 530) was the bishop of Rome from 12 July 526 to his death. He was the chosen candidate of Ostrogoth King Theodoric the Great, who had imprisoned Felix's predecessor, John I.

Rise

Felix came from Samnium, the son of Castorius. He was elected after a gap of nearly two months after the death of John I, who had died in prison in Ravenna, having completed a diplomatic mission to Constantinople on behalf of the Ostrogoth King Theodoric the Great. The papal electors acceded to the king's demands and chose Felix as pope. Felix's favor in the eyes of the king allowed him to press for greater benefits for the Church. However, Theodoric died later that year, allowing Felix to pursue his own policies in peace.

Pontificate

Felix built the Santi Cosma e Damiano in the Imperial forums on land donated by Queen Amalasuntha, and consecrated no fewer than thirty-nine bishops, during his short pontificate of four years. During Felix's pontificate, an imperial edict was passed granting that cases against clergy should be dealt with by the pope or a designated ecclesiastical court. Violation of this ruling would result in a fine, which proceeds were designated for the poor. Felix also defined church teaching on grace and free will in response to a request of Faustus of Riez, in Gaul, on opposing Semi-Pelagianism. As such, Felix approved the teachings of the Council of Orange in 529, which also explained Original sin.

Felix attempted to designate his own successor: Pope Boniface II. The reaction of the Senate was to forbid the discussion of a pope's successor during his lifetime or to accept such a nomination. The majority of the clergy reacted to Felix's activity by nominating Dioscorus as Pope. Only a minority supported Boniface. His feast day is celebrated on 30 January.