To the most blessed Pope Damasus, from Jerome. Our humility beseeches the glory of your holiness, that according to the apostolic see which we have learned that you govern, we pray for this through your holiness: that you may deign to recount to us in orderly fashion of peace the record of the acts from the primacy of blessed Peter the apostle down to your own times—what things were done in your see; so that our humility may come to know who was counted worthy to be crowned with the martyrdom of the bishops of the aforesaid holy see, or who is known to have transgressed against the canons of the apostles. Pray for us, most blessed pope. Given on the fifth day before the Kalends of May. Received at Rome. Damasus the bishop, to Jerome the presbyter.
The Church rejoices, now already satisfied at your fountain, and the curiosity of the priestly ages thirsts the more, that what is worthy may be known and what is unworthy rejected. Nevertheless, what we have been able to find recorded for the study of our see, we have rejoicingly directed to your charity. Pray for us unto the holy resurrection, brother and fellow-presbyter. Farewell in Christ. Given on the tenth day before the Kalends of June. Received on the sixth day before the Kalends of October.
BLESSED PETER, of Antioch, son of John, of the province of Galilee, from the village of Bethsaida, brother of Andrew and chief of the apostles, first sat in the episcopal chair at Antioch for ten years. This Peter entered into the city of Rome in the reign of Nero Caesar, and there he sat in the episcopal chair twenty-five years, two months, three days. He lived in the times of Tiberius Caesar and Gaius and Tiberius Claudius and Nero. He wrote two epistles which are called canonical, and the Gospel of Mark, because Mark was his hearer and his son by baptism; after the whole source of the four gospels, at Peter's questioning they were confirmed, since one agrees in Greek, another in Hebrew, another in Latin. He is crowned with martyrdom together with Paul. He held three ordinations: presbyters,
ten; bishops, three; deacons, seven, in the month of December. He was buried on the Via Aurelia, in the temple of Apollo, near the place where he was crucified, near the Neronian palace in the Vatican, in the triumphal district, on the Via Aurelia, on the third day before the Kalends of July. II. LINUS, of Italian nationality, of the region [of Tuscany], whose father was Herculanus, sat eleven years, three months, twelve days. He held office in the times of Nero, from the consulship of Saturninus and Scipio to the consulship of Capito and Rufinus. He is crowned with martyrdom. By the precept of blessed Peter he established that a woman should enter the church with her head veiled. He was buried beside the body of blessed Peter in the Vatican, on the eighth day before the Kalends of October. III. CLETUS, of Roman nationality, from the region of the Vicus Patricius, whose father was Aemilianus, sat twelve years, one month, eleven days.
He lived in the times of Vespasian and Titus, from the consulship of Vespasian (for the seventh time) and Domitian (for the fifth) down to the consulship of Domitian (for the ninth time) and Rufus. He was crowned with martyrdom. He, by the command of blessed Peter, ordained twenty-five presbyters in the city of Rome in the month of December. He was also buried beside the body of blessed Peter in the Vatican, on the sixth day before the Kalends of May. IV. CLEMENT, a Roman by nation, from the region of the Caelian Hill, son of Faustinus, occupied the see for nine years, two months, and ten days. He lived in the times of Galba and Vespasian, from the consulship of Tragalus and Italicus down to the ninth consulship of Vespasian and that of Titus. He was crowned with martyrdom.
He established seven regions and assigned them to faithful notaries of the Church, so that each one might carefully and diligently search out throughout his own region the deeds of the martyrs; and he composed two epistles. He held three ordinations: ten presbyters, two deacons, and five bishops for various places, in the month of December. He died a martyr in the third year of Trajan. He was buried in Greece, on the ninth day before the Kalends of December. And the episcopate was vacant for twenty-one days. V. ANACLETUS, a Greek by nation, from Athens, son of Antiochus, occupied the see for twelve years, ten months, and three days. He lived in the times of Domitian, from the tenth consulship of Domitian and that of Sabinus down to the seventeenth consulship of Domitian and that of Clement.
He built and constructed a memorial to blessed Peter, while he had been made a presbyter by blessed Peter, where the bishops might be laid to rest; where indeed he himself was also buried in peace, on the third day before the Ides of July. He held two ordinations: five presbyters, three deacons, and seven bishops for various places, in the month of December. And the episcopate was vacant for fifteen days. VI. EVARISTUS, a Greek by nation, an Antiochene, son of Judas of the city of Bethlehem, occupied the see for nine years, ten months, and two days. He lived in the times of Domitian and of Nerva Trajan, from the consulship of Valens and Vetus down to the consulship of Gallus and Bradua. He was crowned with martyrdom.
He distributed the titular churches in the city of Rome among the presbyters and ordained seven deacons, who were to guard the bishop while he preached, on account of the touchstone of truth. He held four ordinations: seventeen presbyters, nine deacons, and fifteen bishops for various places. He was buried beside the body of blessed Peter in the Vatican, on the fifth day before the Kalends of November. And the episcopate was vacant for nineteen days. VII. ALEXANDER, a Roman by nation, son of Alexander, from the region of Caput Tauri, occupied the see for ten years, seven months, and two days. He lived in the times of Trajan down to those of Aelianus and Vetus. He inserted the Passion of the Lord into the preaching of the priests. He was crowned with martyrdom, and with him the presbyter Eventius and the deacon Theodulus. He instituted that water for sprinkling, with salt, be blessed in the dwellings of men.
He held three ordinations: six presbyters, two deacons, and five bishops for various places, in the month of December. He was buried on the Via Nomentana, where he was beheaded, seven miles from the city of Rome, on the fifth day before the Nones of May. And the episcopate was vacant for thirty-seven days. VIII. SIXTUS, a Roman by nation, son of Pastor, from the region of the Via Lata, occupied the see for ten years, two months, and one day. He lived in the times of Hadrian down to those of Verus and Anculus. He was crowned with martyrdom. He instituted that the sacred vessels of the ministry should not be touched except by the ministers. He instituted that whatever bishop should be summoned to the apostolic Roman see, upon returning to his own diocese should not be received unless the people had been confirmed by a greeting addressed to the apostolic see.
He instituted that, within the action of the Mass, the priest beginning, the people should chant the hymn: 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth,' and the rest. He held three ordinations: eleven presbyters, three deacons, and four bishops for various places. He was also buried beside the body of blessed Peter in the Vatican, on the sixth day before the Nones of April. And the episcopate was vacant for two months. IX. TELESPHORUS, a Greek by nation, formerly an anchorite, occupied the see for eleven years, three months, and twenty-one days. He lived in the times of Antoninus and Marcus. He instituted that a fast of seven weeks be kept before Easter. He was crowned with martyrdom. He decreed that on the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ the Masses should be celebrated at night, and that at the beginning of the sacrifice the angelic hymn should be said:
'Glory to God in the highest,' and the rest; but only at night, at the Nativity of the Lord. He held four ordinations: twelve presbyters, eight deacons, and thirteen bishops for various places, in the month of December. He was also buried beside the body of blessed Peter in the Vatican, on the fourth day before the Nones of January. And the episcopate was vacant for seven days. X. HYGINUS, a Greek by nation, formerly a philosopher, from Athens, occupied the see for four years, three months, and three days. He lived in the times of Severus and Marcus, from the consulship of Magnus and Camerinus down to that of Orfitus and Camerinus. He organized the clergy and distributed the grades. And he held three ordinations in the month of December: fifteen presbyters, five deacons, and six bishops for various places. He was also buried beside the body of blessed Peter in the Vatican, on the third day before the Kalends of January.
And the episcopate was vacant for three days. XI. ANICETUS, a Syrian by nation, son of John, from the village of Amisa, occupied the see for eleven years, four months, and three days. He lived in the times of Severus and Marcus, from the consulship of Gallicanus and Vetus down to that of Praesens and Rufinus. He instituted that a cleric should not let his hair grow long. He held five ordinations in the month of December: nine presbyters, four deacons, and nine bishops for various places. He was also buried beside the body of blessed Peter in the Vatican, on the twelfth day before the Kalends of May. And the episcopate was vacant for seven days. XII. PIUS, an Italian by nation, son of Rufinus, brother of Pastor, from the city of Aquileia, occupied the see for nineteen years, four months, and three days. He lived in the times of Antoninus Pius, from the consulship of Clarus and Severus.
Under his episcopate his own brother Hermas wrote a book, in which is contained the commandment which the angel of the Lord enjoined, when he came to him in the guise of a shepherd and commanded him that the holy Easter be celebrated on the Lord's Day. He held five ordinations in the month of December: nineteen presbyters, twenty-one deacons, and twelve bishops for various places. He was also buried beside the body of blessed Peter, on the fifth day before the Ides of July. The episcopate was vacant for fourteen days. XIII. SOTER, a Campanian by nation, son of Concordius, from the city of Fundi, occupied the see for nine years, six months, and twenty-one days. He lived in the times of Severus, from the consulship of Rusticus and Aquilinus down to that of Cethegus and Clarus. He instituted that no monk should touch the consecrated altar-cloth, nor place the incense within the holy church.
He held three ordinations in the month of December: seventeen presbyters, nine deacons, and eleven bishops for various places. He was buried beside the body of blessed Peter, on the tenth day before the Kalends of May. The episcopate was vacant for eleven days. XIV. ELEUTHERUS, a Greek by nation, son of Abundius, from the town of Nicopolis, occupied the see for fifteen years, three months, and two days. He lived in the times of Antoninus and Commodus down to those of Paternus and Bradua. He received a letter from Lucius, a British king, asking that he might be made a Christian by his command. And he held this firmly, that no one whom God has created should be repudiated by Christians, especially by the faithful, those who are nonetheless rational beings. He held three ordinations in the month of December: twelve presbyters, eight deacons, and fifteen bishops for various places.
He was buried beside the body of blessed Peter, on the eighth day before the Kalends of June. The episcopate was vacant for sixteen days. XV. VICTOR, an African by nation, son of Felix, occupied the see for ten years, two months, and ten days. He lived in the times of Caesar, from the second consulship of Commodus and that of Glabrio down to that of Lateranus and Rufinus. He instituted that Easter be celebrated on the Lord's Day, just as Pius had done. He composed the following clergy-lists. He was crowned with martyrdom. He instituted that, when necessity required, wherever water might be found—whether in a river, or in the sea, or in a fountain, or in a pool—any man coming from among the Gentiles, once the Christian confession had been declared, by his confession of faith might become a full Christian so as to be baptized.
And he held a council, and an inquiry was made concerning Easter, or concerning the first day, with Theophilus, bishop of Alexandria, regarding the moon. He held two ordinations: four presbyters, six deacons, and twelve bishops for various places. He was buried beside the body of blessed Peter, on the fifth day before the Kalends of August. And the episcopate was vacant for eleven days. XVI. ZEPHYRINUS, a Roman by nation, son of Habundantius, occupied the see for eight years, seven months, and ten days. He lived in the times of Antoninus and Severus, from the consulship of Saturninus, Antoninus, and Gallicanus down to that of Praesens and Strictus. He instituted that all the clergy and faithful laity be present, whether a cleric, a Levite, or a priest was being ordained.
And he made a regulation concerning the church and the glass patens: that before him in the church the priests, with the ministers supporting them, while the bishop celebrated Mass, with all the priests standing before him, the Masses should thus be celebrated; except that, where it pertains to the bishop's office, only the clergy should attend, with all present, so that from that consecration, from the hand of the bishop, the presbyter might already receive the consecrated portion to be delivered to the people. He held four ordinations in the month of December: fourteen presbyters, eight deacons, and thirteen bishops for various places. He was buried in his own cemetery beside the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia, on the eighth day before the Kalends of September. And the episcopate was vacant for five days. XVII. CALLISTUS, a Roman by nation, son of Domitius, from the region of the Urbs Ravennantium, occupied the see for six years and
two months and eleven days. He lived in the times of Macrinus and Theodolus, from the consulship of Antoninus and Alexander. He was crowned with martyrdom. He instituted that the fast on the Sabbath day be observed three times a year—of grain, wine, and oil—according to the prophet, in the fourth, seventh, and tenth months. He was buried in the cemetery of Calepodius, on the Via Aurelia, at the third milestone, on the day before the Ides of October. He held five ordinations in the month of December: sixteen presbyters, four deacons, and eight bishops for various places. The episcopate was vacant for six days. XVIII. URBAN, a Roman by nation, son of Pontianus, occupied the see for four years, ten months, and twelve days. He established the sacred vessels of silver and set up twenty-five silver patens. He also (cared for) the clergy as a confessor in the times of Diocletian.
By his teaching he converted many to baptism, including Valerian, the betrothed of holy Cecilia, and many were crowned with martyrdom through his doctrine. He held five ordinations in the month of December: nineteen presbyters, seven deacons, and eight bishops for various places. He was buried in the cemetery of Praetextatus, on the Via Appia, where blessed Tiburtius buried him, on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of June. And the episcopate was vacant for thirty days. XIX. ANTERUS, a Greek by nation, son of Romulus, occupied the see for twelve years, one month, and twelve days. He was crowned with martyrdom in the times of Maximinus and Africanus, the consuls. He diligently sought out the deeds of the martyrs from the notaries and stored them up in the church. On account of a certain Maximus, a presbyter, he was made a martyr. He ordained one bishop.
He was buried in the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia, on the fourth day before the Nones of January. And the episcopate was vacant for two days. XX. PONTIAN, a Roman by nation, son of Calpurnius, occupied the see for nine years, five months, and two days. He was crowned with martyrdom in the times of Alexander, from the consulship of Pompeianus and Pelinianus. At that same time the bishop Pontian and the presbyter Hippolytus were consigned to exile by Alexander on the island of Sardinia, at Bucina, in the consulship of Severus and Quintianus. On that same island, afflicted and beaten to death with cudgels, he died on the third day before the Kalends of November. He held two ordinations: six presbyters, five deacons, and seven bishops for various places. Blessed Fabian brought him back by ship and buried him in the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia. The episcopate was vacant from the day of his deposition, from the eleventh day before the Kalends
of December. XXI. FABIAN, a Roman by nation, son of Fabius, occupied the see for fourteen years, one month, and eleven days. He was crowned with martyrdom. He lived in the times of Maximus and Africanus down to the second consulship of Decius and that of Quadratus, and he suffered on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of February. He distributed the regions among the deacons and appointed seven subdeacons, who were to oversee the seven notaries, so that they might faithfully collect the deeds of the martyrs. After his passion, the presbyters Moses and Maximinus and the deacon Nicostratus were arrested. At that same time Moses died in prison, where he had been for eleven months, and thus many Christians fled. He held five ordinations in the month of December: twenty-two presbyters, deacons, and fourteen bishops for various places. He was buried in the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia, on the thirteenth day before the Kalends of February.
And the episcopate was vacant for seven days. XXII. CORNELIUS, a Roman by nation, occupied the see for one year, two months, and three days. He was crowned with martyrdom. In his times, asked by a certain matron, he raised up the bodies of the apostles, blessed Peter and Paul, from the Catacombs by night; first indeed, blessed Lucina, having received the body of blessed Paul, laid it in her own estate on the Via Ostiensis, near the place where he was beheaded; the bishop blessed Cornelius received the body of blessed Peter the apostle and laid it near the place where he was crucified, among the bodies of the saints, in the temple of Apollo, on the Golden Mount, in the Vatican of Nero's palace, on the third day before the Kalends of July. After this was done, he held one ordination: eight presbyters. He too was beheaded at the temple of Mars.
His body the blessed Lucina gathered by night and buried in a crypt beside the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia, in her own estate, on the eighteenth day before the Kalends of October. And the episcopate was vacant for sixty-six days. XXIII. LUCIUS, a Roman by nation, son of Porphyrius, occupied the see for three years, three months, and three days. He was crowned with martyrdom. He lived in the times of Gallus and Volusianus down to the third consulship of Valerian and that of Gallicanus. He was in exile. Afterwards, by the will of God, he returned unharmed to the church. He commanded that two presbyters and three deacons should in every place not desert the bishop, on account of ecclesiastical testimony. He too was beheaded by Valerian, on the fourth day before the Nones of March. He held two ordinations in the month of December: four presbyters, four deacons, and seven bishops for various places.
He too was buried in the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia. The episcopate was vacant for thirty days. XXIV. STEPHEN, a Roman by nation, son of Jobius, occupied the see for six years, five months, and two days. He was crowned with martyrdom. He lived in the times of Valerian, Gallicanus, and Maximus down to the third consulship of Valerian and the second of Gallicanus. He instituted for the priests and Levites that they should not use the consecrated vestments for daily use except in the church. He held two ordinations in the month of December: six presbyters, five deacons, and two bishops for various places. He was buried in the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia, on the third day before the Nones of August. The episcopate was vacant for twenty-two days. XXV. SIXTUS, a Greek by nation, formerly a philosopher, occupied the see for one year, ten months, and twenty-four days. He was crowned with martyrdom. He lived in the times of Valerian and Decius.
Together with blessed Sixtus, six deacons were beheaded: Felicissimus, Agapitus, Januarius, Magnus, Vincentius, and Stephanus, on the sixth day before the Ides of August. And the presbyters presided from the second consulship of Maximus and that of Glabrio down to that of Tuscus and Bassus, in the consulship of Tuscus and Bassus, down to the thirteenth day before the Kalends of August, at which time there was a great persecution under Decius. And after the passion of blessed Sixtus, after three days there suffered Laurentius his archdeacon, and the presbyter Claudius Severus, and the doorkeeper Romanus, and the lector Crescentius. He held two ordinations: four presbyters, seven deacons, and two bishops for various places. He was buried in the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia; for his six deacons were buried in the cemetery of Praetextatus, on the Via Appia, on the sixth day before the Ides of August;
but blessed Laurentius was buried on the Via Tiburtina in a crypt, in the Ager Veranus, on the fourth day before the Ides of August. And the episcopate was vacant for two years. XXVI. DIONYSIUS, formerly a monk, whose lineage we have not been able to discover, occupied the see for six years, two months, and four days. He lived in the times of Gallienus, from the eleventh day before the Kalends of August, in the consulship of Aemilianus and Bassus, down to the seventh day before the Kalends of January, from the consulship of Claudius and Paternus. He gave the churches to the presbyters and established the cemeteries and the parishes of the diocese. He held ordinations of bishops: seven for various places. He was buried in the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia, on the sixth day before the Kalends of January. And the episcopate was vacant for five days. XXVII. FELIX, a Roman by nation, son of Constantius, occupied the see for four years, three months, and twenty-five days. He was crowned with martyrdom.
He lived in the times of Claudius and Aurelian, from the consulship of Claudius and Paternus down to the consulship of Aurelian and Capitolinus. He instituted that Mass be celebrated over the tombs of the martyrs. He held two ordinations in the month of December: nine presbyters, three deacons, and eleven bishops for various places. He was buried in his own cemetery, on the Via Aurelia, at the second milestone, on the third day before the Kalends of June. And the episcopate was vacant for five days. XXVIII. EUTYCHIANUS, a Tuscan by nation, son of Marinus, occupied the see for one year, one month, and one day. He lived in the times of Aurelian, from the third consulship of Aurelian and that of Marcellinus down to the day of the Ides of December, in the consulship of Carus (for the second time) and Carinus. He instituted that the produce of the fields be blessed upon the altar. He buried 362 martyrs in various places. He held five ordinations in the month
of December: fourteen presbyters, five deacons, and nine bishops for various places. He too was buried in the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia, on the eighth day before the Kalends of August. And the episcopate was vacant for nine days. XXIX. GAIUS, a Dalmatian by nation, of the family of the emperor Diocletian, son of Gaius, occupied the see for eleven years, four months, and twelve days. He lived in the times of Carus and Carinus, from the sixteenth day before the Kalends of January, from the second consulship of Carus. Fleeing the persecution of Diocletian and dwelling in the crypts, he rested as a confessor. He held four ordinations in the month of December: sixteen presbyters, eight deacons, and five bishops for various places. He was buried in the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia, on the tenth day before the Kalends of May. The episcopate was vacant for eleven days. XXX. MARCELLINUS, a Roman by nation, son of Projectus, occupied the see for nine years, four months, and sixteen days.
He lived in the times of Diocletian and Maximian, from the day of the Kalends of July, from the sixth consulship of Diocletian and the second of Constantius down to the ninth of Diocletian and the eighth of Maximian, at which time there was a great persecution, so that within thirty days sixteen thousand persons of both sexes were crowned with martyrdom throughout the various provinces. On account of this matter, Marcellinus himself was led to sacrifice, that he might offer incense, which he indeed did. And after a few days, moved to repentance, by the same Diocletian he was beheaded for the faith of Christ along with Claudius, Quirinus, and Antonius, and they were crowned with martyrdom. The holy bodies lay in the street for twenty-six days by the order of Diocletian.
Then the presbyter Marcellus gathered the bodies of the saints by night and buried them on the Via Salaria, in the cemetery of Priscilla, in a chamber which lies open to this very day, which he himself, repenting, had commanded while he was being dragged off to execution, in a crypt beside the body of holy Crescentio, on the seventh day before the Kalends of May. He held two ordinations in the month of December: four presbyters, two deacons, and five bishops for various places. And the episcopate was vacant for seven years, seven months, and twenty-five days, while Diocletian persecuted the Christians. XXXI. MARCELLUS, a Roman by nation, son of Marcellus, occupied the see for four years. He lived in the times of Maxentius, from the fourth consulship of Maxentius and that of Maximus down to after his consulship. He held ordinations in the month of December: twenty-five presbyters, two deacons, and twenty-one bishops for various places.
He was buried in the cemetery of Priscilla, on the Via Salaria, on the seventeenth day before the Kalends of February. The episcopate was vacant for twenty days. XXXII. EUSEBIUS, a Greek by nation, formerly a physician, occupied the see for seven years, one month, and three days. He lived in the times of Constantine. In his times the holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ was found, on the fifth day before the Nones of May. In his time Judas Cyriacus was baptized. He held three ordinations: thirteen presbyters, three deacons, and fourteen bishops for various places. He was buried in the cemetery of Callistus, on the Via Appia, on the sixth day before the Nones of October. The episcopate was vacant for seven days. XXXIII. MILTIADES, an African by nation, occupied the see for three years, six months, and eight days, from the day of the Nones of July, from the ninth consulship of Maximinus down to the second of Maxentius, which was in the month of September, in the consulship of Volusianus and Rufinus.
He instituted that on no account should any of the faithful keep a fast on the Lord's Day or on the fifth day of the week, because the pagans celebrated those days as a kind of sacred fast. And the Manichaeans were discovered in the city. From that same day he ordained that the consecrated offerings should be sent through the churches, and that what was consecrated by the bishop should be conveyed, which is called the 'ferment' (fermentum). He held one ordination in the month of December: four presbyters, three deacons, and eleven bishops for various places. And the episcopate was vacant for sixteen days. XXXIV. SYLVESTER, a Roman by nation, son of Rufinus, occupied the see for twenty-three years, ten months, and eleven days, in the times of Constantine and Volusianus, from the day of the Kalends of February down to the day of the Kalends of January, in the consulship of Constantius and Volusianus.
He was in exile on Mount Soracte, being harried by the persecution of Constantine, and afterwards, returning in glory, he baptized Constantine Augustus, whom the Lord healed of leprosy through baptism. He made a regulation concerning the whole church. In his times a council was held, with his consent, at Nicaea in Bithynia; and there were gathered three hundred and eighteen catholic bishops, priests, and others, the weak whose signatures ran to two hundred and eight, who set forth the whole holy catholic and immaculate faith and condemned Arius, Photinus, and Sabellius and their followers. And in the city of Rome the bishop gathered two hundred and seventy-seven (bishops) and condemned Callistus, Arius, and Photinus.
And he established that a presbyter should not receive an Arian except (in the presence of) the bishop of the designated place, and that the chrism be confected by the bishop, and a privilege for the bishops, that they should sign (with chrism) one baptized, on account of heretical persuasion. He instituted that no layman should bring a charge against a cleric. He instituted that the deacons should wear dalmatics, and that linen-mixed palls cover their left arms. He instituted that no cleric should, on any cause whatever, enter the court, nor plead a case before a girded judge except in the church. He instituted that the sacrifice of the altar should not be celebrated upon silk, nor upon dyed cloth, but only upon linen, just as the body of our Lord Jesus Christ was buried in a linen shroud: thus the Masses should be celebrated.
He instituted that, if anyone desired to serve or to advance in the church, he should be a lector for thirty years (i.e. age), an exorcist for thirty days, an acolyte for five years, a subdeacon for five years, a keeper of the martyrs' shrines for five years, a deacon for seven years, a presbyter for three, proven on every side and even by those outside who bear good testimony; and thus he should ascend to the order of the episcopate, no one usurping a higher or prior place, but acknowledging with modesty the order of the times, with the votive favor of all the clergy, no cleric or faithful person at all speaking against him. He held seven ordinations in the month of December: forty-four presbyters, thirty-six deacons, and sixty-five bishops for various places. At that same time Constantine Augustus made