Felix
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
CLAUDIUS, or ANTONIUS, a Roman procurator of Judea, before whom Paul so "reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come," that he trembled, saying, "Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season I will call for thee." Felix rose from slavery, having been manumitted by Claudius Cæsar. His rule in Judea, notwithstanding its severity or rather in consequence of it, was marked by constant disorders and disaffection; and but for the interest of his brother (the notorious freedman Pallas) with Nero, the charges carried up against him to Rome would have been his ruin. FELIX I., Bishop of Rome. He succeeded Dionysius, 269, and suffered martyrdom in the persecution of Aurelian. FELIX II., Pope. He occupied the pontifical see during the banishment of Liberius, 355. In reply to a proposition for the recall of Liberius, it was proposed by the Emperor Constantius that Liberius and Felix should reign conjointly, but the people exclaimed, "One God, one Christ, and one bishop!" Felix was exiled in 358, but became Pope again the same year, and died in 359. FELIX III., Pope; he succeeded Simplicius in 483. He had a holy disthe Emperor Zeno, in behalf pute with died in of the Western Church, and 492. FELIX IV., Pope; a native of Benevento; he ascended the chair after John I., 526. He governed the Church with zeal and piety, and died in 530. He introduced extreme unction. FELIX V., antipope; the same as Amadeus VIII., Count of Savoy. See AMADEUS.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
The one substantial revision concerns Felix II, whom Collier's in 1921 still listed as a pope holding the see during Liberius's banishment in 355. The Catholic Church's own official list, the Annuario Pontificio, now treats him as an antipope — his place on the roll grew out of a confusion with a martyr of the same name — though the later Felixes kept their traditional numbers, so there is still a Felix III (483-492) and a Felix IV (526-530). Two smaller claims have also fallen away: the martyrdom of Felix I under Aurelian is now generally regarded as a later legend, and the introduction of extreme unction is no longer credited to Felix IV. On the procurator, modern scholars favour the name Marcus Antonius Felix over Claudius, on the reasoning that his freedom came through the household of Antonia rather than directly from Claudius; the Acts 24 episode with Paul is otherwise related much as Collier's has it.
Written for this edition, 2026.