St. Marcellinus

Marcellinus · 296 – 304

Pope during the Great Persecution under Diocletian, later accused of surrendering sacred scriptures to Roman authorities.

Marcellinus served as pope from 296 to 304, a period that ended with the most violent persecution the Church had yet faced. When Diocletian ordered Christians to hand over their sacred books and offer sacrifice, some complied. Later sources, particularly Donatist polemicists, claimed Marcellinus was among them, alleging he offered incense to pagan gods before repenting. The charge is disputed. The Liber Pontificalis acknowledges the accusation but frames it as slander. What is undeniable is that the early records are confused about his end; his name was even temporarily removed from some lists. He likely died in 304, and the Roman see sat empty for nearly four years afterward.

An Uncomfortable Question

Did the pope himself buckle under Diocletian's persecution? The evidence is murky, and later Catholic writers worked hard to clear his name. But the fact that the question was asked at all shows how severe the Great Persecution was. Even the bishop of Rome was not exempt from the pressure to conform.