Quotes:Marcellus I, Pope

Zirkoff, Boris

Marcellus I, Pope. Son of Benedict, a Roman priest. Succeeded Marcellinus (d. 304) as Bishop of Rome, acc. to Pagi, June 30, 308, after several years during which the post was vacant. Held the position, however, only some 18 months, and died sometime in 309. Endeavoured to restore ecclesiastical discipline which had become very much relaxed during the persecutions under Diocletian. Organized for this purpose upward of 20 dioceses in Rome, the incumbents of which were to administer to converts from heathenism the sacraments of baptism and penance. They were also bound to attend to the burial of martyrs. This angered Maxentius; by his command Marcellus was ordered to resign as Bishop and to sacrifice to the gods; this he refused to do. He was then imprisoned and condemned to work as a slave in the imperial stables. Some nine months later, he was freed by his clergy, and concealed in the house of a Roman matron named Lucinia, who later converted the house into a church. Maxentius was so angry that he commanded the church to be turned into a stable, and condemned Marcellus to the lowest employment about the stables. Marcellus is said by tradition to have died a martyr, though there is no definite proof of this. He is commemorated January 16th.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 10, p. 425