5th century
Feast: November 21
A pope who defended papal authority against Constantinople and established liturgical traditions.
Gelasius I (died 496) served as Pope from 492-496 during a crucial period for papal authority. He strongly defended the independence of the Roman Church against interference from Constantinople and wrote important letters on the relationship between spiritual and temporal authority. He established many liturgical practices and feast days, and was known for his care for the poor and refugees. His writings on the Two Swords theory influenced medieval church-state relations. He died after a brief but significant pontificate.