The Ante-Nicene Church · AD 180–313
Natalius the Confessor
restored c. AD 199–203 · Confessor · Briefly Adoptionist bishop · Penitent · Rome
The Ante-Nicene Church
Who Natalius the Confessor was
A confessor who let the Theodotians make him their salaried bishop — 150 denarii a month, says the Little Labyrinth — until, scourged all night in visions, he rose at dawn in sackcloth and ashes and wept his way back into Zephyrinus's communion. The first known salaried bishop, and the first restored one.
The Little Labyrinth only (via Eusebius V.28).
Also listed in bishops beyond the great sees and heretics & schismatics.
Common questions
When did Natalius live?
Natalius the Confessor is dated restored c. AD 199–203 in the archive, which places Natalius in the Ante-Nicene Church (AD 180–313). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.
Which early sources mention Natalius?
Natalius the Confessor is named in 1 primary-source passage catalogued here, drawn from Anonymous (via Eusebius). Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Natalius from?
The archive associates Natalius the Confessor with Rome.
Who were Natalius’ contemporaries?
The archive links Natalius the Confessor to 2 other figures, including Zephyrinus of Rome and Theodotus the Cobbler. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Primary-source mentions (1)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
The Little Labyrinth, via Ecclesiastical History V.28
c. AD 325Natalius was persuaded by them to be called bishop of this heresy, with a salary… he was scourged all night by holy angels; and rising early he put on sackcloth, covered himself with ashes, and with great haste fell weeping before Zephyrinus the bishop.Anonymous (via Eusebius) · V.28 · source text
Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 135 · Bar Kokhba crushed; Aelia Capitolina, AD 135
- AD 144 · Marcion expelled at Rome, AD 144
- AD 156 · The New Prophecy erupts, AD 156
- AD 177 · Persecution at Lyon and Vienne, AD 177
- AD 180 · The Scillitan martyrs, AD 180
- AD 190 · The Quartodeciman controversy, AD 190
- AD 202 · Perpetua and Felicity martyred, AD 202
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Natalius.
- 1Rome