Pope Gelasius I, The Letters of Gelasius I (492-496): Micro-manager and Pastor of the Church of Rome (Adnotationes: Commentaries on Early Christian and Patristic Texts)

The Popes were very good at self-promotion. They were always going on about how they were the successors of Peter and how that was a big deal. Gelasius is just one of those Popes but these letters give a broader insight into his dealings with subordinates, managing church property, eradicating heresy and endeavouring to find suitable candidates for ordination than just going around telling people how important he was.These letters given clear evidence of the chaos brought about by the barbarian invasions. What other book would have a set of letters on 'Murders of bishops'?Gelasius was only pope for a brief time (the years 492-496) but there survive 102 letters (or parts of letters) and 6 tracts. This book translates one Tract (on the Lupercalia) and 40 letters. Outside of Popes Leo the Great and Gregory the Great the Popes of the first thousand years have not been served well by translations of their correspondence into English. It was good to read some primary sources on the Acacian schism. The discussion on the Acacian schism (pages 32 to 42) is done with no ax to grind against Constantinople and Acacius (who is considered an Orthodox Saint). Letter 12 from Gelasius to Emperor Anastasius on the importance of the Papacy is an important source but I am inclined to agree with George Demacopoulos (The Invention of Peter) that the expository nature of the letter implies the Emperor did not believe in the 'supremacy' of the Pope. After all, why are you trying to convince someone of something they already believe?The 40 letters translated here are the most significant but I still think the translators should have finished the job and done them all. I hope further collections of Papal correspondence are translated.