Introduction
Pope Eusebius (from Greek Εὐσέβιος"pious"; died 17 August 310) was the Bishop of Rome from 18 April 310 until his death four months later. Eusebius maintained the position of the Church adopted after the Decian persecutions (250–51) that the lapsi should be re-admitted to communion, but only after a period of penance. Emperor Maxentius intervened in Eusebius' quarrel with his opponents who thought that re-admission should take place immediately, exiling both their leader Heraclius and Eusebius. Eusebius died in exile in Sicily very soon after this. His feast is celebrated on the date of his death, 17 August.
History
His pontificate lasted four months, after which, in consequence of disturbances within the Roman Church which led to acts of violence, he was banished by the emperor Maxentius, who had been the ruler of Rome since 306, and had at first shown himself friendly to the Christians. The difficulty arose, as in the case of his predecessor Pope Marcellus I, out of his attitude toward the lapsi.
Eusebius maintained the attitude of the Roman Church, adopted after the Decian persecutions (250–51), that the apostates should not be forever debarred from ecclesiastical communion, but on the other hand, should be readmitted only after doing proper penance. This view was opposed by a faction of Christians in Rome under the leadership of Heraclius. Johann Peter Kirsch believes it likely that Heraclius was the chief of a party made up of apostates and their followers, who demanded immediate restoration to the Roman Church. Maxentius exiled them both.
Eusebius died in exile in Sicily very soon after being banished and was buried in the catacomb of Callixtus. Pope Damasus I placed an epitaph of eight hexameters over his tomb because of his firm defense of ecclesiastical discipline and the banishment which he suffered thereby.
His feast is celebrated on 17 August. The feast had previously been observed on 26 September.