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Pope Fabian (Latin: Fabianus) was the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church from 10 January 236 until his death on 20 January 250,[4] succeeding Anterus. A dove is said to have descended on his head to mark him as the Holy Spirit's unexpected choice to become the next pope.[5] He was succeeded by Cornelius.
Most of his papacy was characterized by amicable relations with the imperial government, and the schism between the Roman congregations of Pontian and Hippolytus was ended. He divided Rome into diaconates and appointed secretaries to collect the records of the martyrs. He sent out seven "apostles to the Gauls" as missionaries, but probably did not baptize Emperor Philip the Arab as is alleged. He died a martyr at the beginning of the Decian persecution and is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.[4][5]
According to the Liber Pontificalis, Fabian was a noble Roman by birth, and his father's name was Fabius. Nothing more is known about his background. The legend concerning the circumstances of his election is preserved by the fourth-century writer Eusebius of Caesarea (Church History, VI. 29).[6] One authority refers to him as "Flavian".[7]
After the short reign of Pope Anterus, Fabian had come to Rome from the countryside when the new papal election began. "Although present", says Eusebius, Fabian "was in the mind of none". While the names of several illustrious and noble churchmen were being considered over the course of thirteen days, a dove suddenly descended upon the head of Fabian. To the assembled electors, this strange sight recalled the gospel scene of the descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus at the time of his baptism by John the Baptist. The congregation took this as a sign that he was marked out for this dignity, and Fabian was at once proclaimed bishop by acclamation.[6]
During Fabian's reign of 14 years, there was a lull in the persecution which had resulted in the exile of both Anterus' predecessor Pontian and the antipope (and later saint) Hippolytus. Fabian had enough influence at court to effect the return of the bodies of both of these martyrs from Sardinia, where they had died at hard labor in the mines. The report that he baptized the emperor Philip the Arab and his son, however, is probably a legend, although he did seem to enjoy some connections at court, since the bodies of Pontian and Hippolytus could not have been exhumed without the emperor's approval.[7]
According to the sixth-century historian and hagiographer Gregory of Tours[8] Fabian sent out the "apostles to the Gauls" to Christianise Gaul in A.D. 245. Fabian sent seven bishops from Rome to Gaul to preach the Gospel: Gatianus of Tours to Tours, Trophimus of Arles to Arles, Paul of Narbonne to Narbonne, Saturnin to Toulouse, Denis to Paris, Austromoine to Clermont, and Martial to Limoges. He also condemned Privatus, the originator of a new heresy in Africa.[5]
The Liber Pontificalis says that Fabian divided the Christian communities of Rome into seven districts, each supervised by a deacon. Eusebius (VI §43) adds that he appointed seven subdeacons to help collect the acta of the martyrs—the reports of the court proceedings on the occasion of their trials.[7] There is also a tradition that he instituted the four minor clerical orders: porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte. However most scholars believe these offices evolved gradually and were formally instituted at a later date.[7]
His deeds are thus described in the Liber Pontificalis:
地域は、分割されたディアコンニバスとフェシット・ヴィイ・サブダイアコン、公証人が差し迫ったもの、殉教者が完全に忠実であること、そして、シミテリア・フィエリ・プラセピトごとにファブリカが集まっていること。 彼は各地域を執事職に分け、7人の書記が監督する7つの副執事職を設け、殉教者の行為を忠実にまとめ、墓地に多くの作品をもたらした。
リベリア教皇目録には、ファビアヌスが尊敬されるキリスト教徒が埋葬されているカタコンベの大規模な工事を開始し、またポンティアヌスの遺体をカリストゥスのカタコンベに埋葬させたことも記されている。[ 4 ]
デキウス帝 の即位に伴い、ローマ政府のキリスト教に対する寛容政策は一時的に終焉を迎えた。デキウスは、ユダヤ人を除く帝国のすべての人々に、ローマ国家を象徴する神々の像に香を捧げることでローマへの忠誠を示すよう命じた。これは偶像崇拝禁止の戒律を真剣に受け止めていた多くのキリスト教徒にとって受け入れがたいものであった。ファビアンはデキウスによる迫害の初期の犠牲者の一人であり、デキウスによる迫害が始まった250年1月20日に殉教者として亡くなったが、処刑ではなくおそらく獄中で亡くなったと思われる。[ 9 ]
ファビアンはローマのカリクストゥスのカタコンベに埋葬された。彼の墓にはギリシャ語の碑文が残っており、[ 6 ]「ファビアン、司教、殉教者」と記されている。[ 5 ]ファビアンの遺体は後に教皇クレメンス11世によってサン・セバスティアーノ・フオリ・レ・ムーラに改葬され、そこには彼の栄誉を称えるアルバニ礼拝堂がある。[ 10 ]
ファビアンの祝日は、カトリック教会では聖セバスチャンと同じ1月20日に記念される。[ 11 ]東方正教会ではファビアンの祝日は8月5日[ 1 ] 、コプト正教会では7日[ 2 ]と11メシルである。[ 3 ]ローマのヴィラ・フィオレッリにあるサンティ・ファビアーノ・エ・ヴェナンツィオ教会（1936年）は、ファビアンの名誉と、同じ迫害で亡くなったカメリーノの聖ヴェナンティウスの名誉にちなんで名付けられた。 [ 12 ]
ファビアンはキプリアヌスから高く評価されていた。キプリアヌスはファビアンの後継者コルネリウスへの手紙の中で彼を「比類なき人物」と呼び、彼の殉教の栄光は彼の生涯の清らかさと聖性に見合ったものだと述べている（キプリアヌス、書簡30）。ノヴァティアヌスは彼の「高貴な記憶」に言及し、オリゲネスと文通していた。[ 7 ]
ファビアンは、アメリカ合衆国聖公会の典礼暦において1月20日に記念されている。[ 13 ]