The Saint of September 16: San Cornelio, what we know about him

Today, Thursday 16 September, it is celebrated St. Cornelius. He was a Roman priest, elected Pope to succeed Fabiano in an election delayed by fourteen months due to the persecution of Christians by Decius.

The main problem of his pontificate was the treatment to be accorded to Christians who had been apostates during the persecution. He condemned the confessors who were lax in not asking for penance from these Christians.

San Cornelio also denounced the penalty takers, driven by Novatian, a Roman priest, who declared that the Church could not forgive the child (fallen Christians) and declared himself Pope. However, his declaration was illegitimate, making him an anti-pope.

The two extremes eventually joined forces and the Novatian movement had a certain influence in the East. Meanwhile, Cornelius proclaimed that the Church had the authority and the power to forgive repentant lapsis and could readmit them to the sacraments and to the Church after performing the proper penances.

A synod of Western bishops in Rome in October 251 supported Cornelius, condemned Novatian's teachings, and excommunicated him and his followers. When in 253 the persecutions against Christians resumed under the emperor Cock, Cornelio was exiled to Centum Cellae (Civita Vecchia), where he died a martyr probably due to the adversities he was forced to endure.