St. Cornelius

The twenty-first pope of the Church, Saint Cornelius, no succeed anybody. After Pope Saint Fabian die as martyr for January 250, persecution no allow the clergy of Rome elect person wey go succeed am, so the Chair of Saint Peter remain empty for more than one year. At last, when the wicked Emperor Decius comot from Rome to go fight war, the clergy choose Cornelius as Bishop of Rome. No be everybody happy with the choice, especially Novatian, wey people bin dey see before as future pope. Na im lead the Roman clergy when the Chair empty, and e don convince imself say na im dem go elect. Novatian supporters consecrate am as bishop and refuse to recognise Cornelius. People choose sides, dem write letters, and tension increase. After Cornelius secure strong support from the respected Saint Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, and others, e settle the dispute by calling one synod of bishops, wey excommunicate Novatian, the person wey cause division, and im followers.

Pope Cornelius rule for small pass two years, from March 251 to June 253. Even though im time for office short, e make some important decisions and leave one legacy wey get plenty to learn from. Decius persecution bring the biggest pastoral problem of the third century—whether dem go accept back Christians wey don offer pagan sacrifice, regret am, and want return to the embrace of Mother Church, and how dem go do am. Another question wey join this one, about whether bishops, priests, and deacons wey don abandon the faith fit celebrate valid sacraments, go later trouble the people wey succeed Cornelius. People divide into two groups over this matter. Novatian hold say Christians wey fall comot from the faith na idol worshippers, and say idol worship na sin wey no fit get forgiveness, especially for the Old Testament. The Church no fit give absolution to people wey abandon the faith like that. Na only God go judge dem when dem die. Cornelius, Saint Cyprian, and other bishops take position wey no too strict like that. Dem teach say the lapsi fit return to the Church through repentance and suitable penance. Na Cornelius position prevail, and e remain so for ever, as e establish one important principle for theology: No sin dey wey no fit get forgiveness.

Pope Cornelius also leave, inside im letters, important record of the size, condition, and arrangement of the Church of Rome. These na solid facts wey people inside one culture know so well that dem often no write dem down for historical documents. The person wey succeed Decius as Emperor na Gallus, and im too no be friend of Christians. E banish Cornelius to one city wey no far from Rome, where the Pope die because of hardship wey im body suffer. Dem bury Saint Cornelius near the tomb chamber for popes inside the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus. One day for 1849, one amateur archaeologist, a layman wey dey work for Vatican library, find one small broken piece of marble wey get NELIUS MARTYR written on am, for one field near the edge of Rome. But no martyr dey wey im name na Nelius. Then e find another broken piece wey get COR written on am. Person still fit see the inscription today for the Catacombs of Callixtus: Cornelius Martyr. 

The Romans draw their long knives for the 250s. Dem kill one pope after another as martyrs through different means. But the Church no run go hide; e stay and grow. The blood of Cornelius and other pope-martyrs wet the soil, and the seeds of faith soak, grow, and sprout into the wide garden of Catholicism wey slowly put deep roots for the ground of Europe, without people noticing. Even today, dem dey read Saint Cornelius name for Mass inside Eucharistic Prayer I, next to Saint Cyprian own. E stand firm to defend the Church, but e still show proper gentleness to im fellow Christians wey no get the same courage and strength as im. For this matter, e get wisdom as pastor just as e get courage as martyr.

Saint Cornelius, our Lord talk say person no gain anything if e gain the whole world but lose im own soul. You gain the office of pope, no be the whole world, but you surrender am rather than bow to wetin the enemies of the Church want. Help us make we persevere like you.