--- Gabe Menezes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Don't believe, all things you read on Goanet. I was given the impression that > there were only > white Popes- to my chagrin, I lost a £50 pound bet........
Dear Gabe: The Jesuit head is referred to as the ‘Black Pope’, we could have saved you 50 quid! I have not read all recent Goanet emails, so I cannot tell if the “impression that there were only white Popes” is true. St. Peter, the first Pope, was not European or white as we understand the term white today. However, it is true Europe has dominated the Papacy. Teotonio can shed more light on this, but part of the problem is there is some confusion on early Church history. I do not believe there was smooth succession and transition of Popes as we see today. Some lists show there were 274 Popes to date, some 265. Part of the problem is the dual popes and anti-popes. Even the Vatican website has no official list. In fact it only goes back to Leo XIII, see http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/index.htm If you have not paid the 50 quid, perhaps pay less. There is doubt regarding Pope St. Gelasius and if he was a African Pope (keep in mind not all Africans are black). One quote you may be interested in - ”[He] Died at Rome, 19 Nov., 496. Gelasius, as he himself states in his letter to the Emperor Anastasius (Ep. xii, n. 1), was Romanus natus. The assertion of the "Liber Pontificalis" that he was natione Afer is consequently taken by many to mean that he was of African origin, though Roman born. Others, however, interpreting natione Afer as "African by birth", explain Romanus natus as "born a Roman citizen". Before his election as pope, 1 March, 492, Gelasius had been much employed by his predecessor, Felix II (or III)”. Notice the reference to Felix II (or III), since the “original” Felix II was considered a anti-pope, at the time of Liberius. Good luck understanding early Church history, I certainly would not place any bets on it. Regarding 2005, hope you are betting on our Cardinal Ivan Dias. Regards, George
