16 December 882 A.D. Marinus I Consecrated—Rome’s 108th; Reverses Strictures on Formusus
Marinus I
(882-884)
There is reason for believing that Marinus I was elected on the very day of the death of John VIII (16 Dec., 882), and
that he was consecrated without waiting for
the consent of the incompetent emperor, Charles the Fat. If the actual date of his election is uncertain, that of his death is
still more so; but it was perhaps 15 May 884. In the seventh century there
was a pope, St. Martinus I, and, owing to the similarity
between the names Martinus and Marinus,
some chroniclers called Pope
Marinus Martinus. Hence, some modern historians have erroneously described the two popes Marinus as Martinus
II and Martinus III respectively, and the successor ofNicholas III called himself
Martinus IV. Marinus, about
whom but little is known, had a distinguished career before he became pope. He
was the son of the priest Palumbo, was born at
Gallese, and was attached to the Roman Church at the age of twelve. Leo IV ordained him sub-deacon, and, after he had been
made a deacon, he
was sent on three important embassies to Constantinople.
The second time he went there (869) to preside, as one of the legates of Adrian II,
over the Eighth General
Council. John VIII,
who made him Bishop of Cære(Cervetri), treasurer (arcarius) of the Roman Church,
and archdeacon, despatched
him on that mission to Constantinople, which resulted in his imprisonment for his firmness in
carrying out his instructions. Although abishop he was elected to succeed John VIII,
whose policy he partly abandoned and partly followed. In the hope of lessening the factions in Rome,
he, most unfortunately as the sequel proved,
reversed the action of his predecessor regarding Bishop Formosus of Porte, whom he absolved from all censures, and permitted to return to Rome.
But Marinus vigorously upheld
the policy of John VIII with regard to Photius, whom he himself condemned.
Trusting to get support from Charles the Fat, he met that useless emperor
in 833. But, unable to help himself, Charles could do nothing for others. Marinus sent the pallium to the distinguished
Fulk of Reims,
and, at the request of King Alfred of
England, freed from all taxes the Schola
Anglorum, or headquarters of the English in Rome. Marinus was buried in the portico of St. Peter's.
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