Paul, Bishop of Mérida
Encyclopedia
Paul was the metropolitan bishop of Mérida in the mid sixth century (fl.
540s/550s). He was a Greek physician who had travelled to Mérida
, where there may have been a Greek expatriate community. Certainly enough Greek clergy were travelling to Spain in the early sixth century that Pope Hormisdas
wrote to the Spanish bishops in 518 explaining what to do if Greeks still adhering to the Acacian heresy
desired to enter communion with the local church.
At some point in his episcopate, he performed a Caesarian section to save a woman's life. In gratitude, her husband, the richest senator in Lusitania
, left all his possessions as a legacy to Paul, as well as immediately gifting him one half. Though canon law
dictated that all gifts to bishops passed to the Church, Paul kept the legacy as his private possession.
Paul's sister's son, Fidelis, was hired out as a boy to a trading vessel on its way to Spain. When the merchants arrived in Mérida, they approached the bishop for an audience, as was customary, and Paul discovered his nephew. Paul immediately took Fidelis under his wing. Contrary to canon law, he consecrated Fidelis as his successor in the bishopric and tried to force the clergy to accept his decision by threatening to withhold his vast private wealth which technically belonged to the Church. Paul offered to leave the wealth to Fidelis and after Fidelis' death to the Church, but the bishops initially refused. They were forced to relent when he threatened to remove all his wealth and dispose of otherwise; the riches made Mérida by far the richest see in Spain. Fidelis, in accordance with Paul's wishes, left the wealth to the Church at his death. Paul's later biographer, the author of the Vitas Patrum Emeritensium
justified the bishop's transgressions of canon law by saying that the ideas had been relevante sibi Spiritu sancto: "revealed to him by the Holy Spirit." The VPE, as it is abbreviated, refers to Paul as a saint.
Paul is often held up by moder historians as an example of the poor image the Arian church
had of Catholics on account of his illegal activities, but he is also used as proof of the close ties between the East and West which still existed for Spain at least in the sixth century. He also demonstrates that there was little prejudice which would prevent foreigners from attaining high position in a Spanish city under the Visigothic monarchy.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
540s/550s). He was a Greek physician who had travelled to Mérida
Mérida, Spain
Mérida is the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura, western central Spain. It has a population of 57,127 . The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993.- Climate :...
, where there may have been a Greek expatriate community. Certainly enough Greek clergy were travelling to Spain in the early sixth century that Pope Hormisdas
Pope Hormisdas
Pope Saint Hormisdas was Pope from July 20, 514 to 523. His papacy was dominated by the Acacian schism, started in 484 by Acacius of Constantinople's efforts to placate the Monophysites...
wrote to the Spanish bishops in 518 explaining what to do if Greeks still adhering to the Acacian heresy
Acacian schism
The Acacian schism between the Eastern and Western Christian Churches lasted thirty-five years, from 484-519. It resulted from a drift in the leaders of Eastern Christianity toward Monophysitism, and Emperor Zeno's unsuccessful attempt to reconcile the parties with the Henotikon.-Chronology:In the...
desired to enter communion with the local church.
At some point in his episcopate, he performed a Caesarian section to save a woman's life. In gratitude, her husband, the richest senator in Lusitania
Lusitania
Lusitania or Hispania Lusitania was an ancient Roman province including approximately all of modern Portugal south of the Douro river and part of modern Spain . It was named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people...
, left all his possessions as a legacy to Paul, as well as immediately gifting him one half. Though canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
dictated that all gifts to bishops passed to the Church, Paul kept the legacy as his private possession.
Paul's sister's son, Fidelis, was hired out as a boy to a trading vessel on its way to Spain. When the merchants arrived in Mérida, they approached the bishop for an audience, as was customary, and Paul discovered his nephew. Paul immediately took Fidelis under his wing. Contrary to canon law, he consecrated Fidelis as his successor in the bishopric and tried to force the clergy to accept his decision by threatening to withhold his vast private wealth which technically belonged to the Church. Paul offered to leave the wealth to Fidelis and after Fidelis' death to the Church, but the bishops initially refused. They were forced to relent when he threatened to remove all his wealth and dispose of otherwise; the riches made Mérida by far the richest see in Spain. Fidelis, in accordance with Paul's wishes, left the wealth to the Church at his death. Paul's later biographer, the author of the Vitas Patrum Emeritensium
Vitas Patrum Emeritensium
The Vitas Patrum Emeritensium is an early Medieval Latin hagiographical work written by an otherwise unknown Paul the Deacon of Mérida. The work narrates the lives of the five bishops who held the see of Merida in the second half of the 6th-century and the first half of the 7th-century, which...
justified the bishop's transgressions of canon law by saying that the ideas had been relevante sibi Spiritu sancto: "revealed to him by the Holy Spirit." The VPE, as it is abbreviated, refers to Paul as a saint.
Paul is often held up by moder historians as an example of the poor image the Arian church
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
had of Catholics on account of his illegal activities, but he is also used as proof of the close ties between the East and West which still existed for Spain at least in the sixth century. He also demonstrates that there was little prejudice which would prevent foreigners from attaining high position in a Spanish city under the Visigothic monarchy.