Case of Antipope Laurentius, The False Pope who was elected by Arian King. It Proves That Heretic cannot be a Pope.
Archpriest of Santa Prassede, Laurentius was elected pope on 22 November 498, in opposition to Pope Symmachus, by a dissenting faction. If Theodore Lector can be trusted, he was picked by the former consul Rufius Postumius Festus as a candidate; Festus had secretly promised the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius that Pope Anastasius II would approve the Henotikon, but upon returning from Constantinople he found the Pope had died.
Pope Anastasius II on fact, He always rejected Monophysitism and condemned what Festus taught as Henotikon on his life. Anastasius II only want to unite West and East and invited them from East who were influenced by Monophysitism to obey to the Roman Curia with leaving their Heresy. Because his failure, Festus was finding the Candidate, and Laurentius as pope who elected by him, and He needed for approval by King Theodoric The Great to spread the Monophysitism and Theopaschism Heresy like Henotikon.
In Fact, Antipope Laurentius was influenced by Semi-Arian and Monophysitism until he was elected invalidly. The groups supporting Laurentius and Symmachus split the clergy, Senate and common people, leading to violent clashes between rival groups of supporters. It was clear that some form of arbitration was needed, and both groups proceeded to Ravenna to present their arguments to king Theoderic the Great of the Ostrogoths.
Theodoric reviewed the facts, and found that Pope Symmachus fulfilled his criteria for being duly consecrated pope. The "Laurentian Fragment", a document written by partisans of Laurentius, asserts that Symmachus obtained the decision by paying bribes, while deacon Magnus Felix Ennodius of Milan later wrote that 400 solidi were distributed amongst influential personages, whom it would be indiscreet to name.
Finding himself victorious, Symmachus proceeded to call a synod held at Rome on 1 March 499, which was attended by 72 bishops and all of the Roman clergy, with the aim of confirming that his congregation accepted the king's judgment, as well as ensuring in the future there would be no rioting or illegal canvassing at election time. He also tried to appease his opposition by offering Laurentius the Diocese of Nuceria, in Campania under condition that Laurentius must be repented to hold Chalcedonian Creed for leave monophysitism.
According to the account in the Liber Pontificalis, Symmachus bestowed the see on Laurentius "guided by sympathy", but the "Laurentian Fragment" states that Laurentius "was severely threatened and cajoled, and forcibly despatched" to Nuceria. In either case, the subscription of Aprilis, bishop of Nuceria, to the acta of the synod of 502 suggests Laurentius either never took up the see, or was deposed from it soon after.
However, Laurentius' supporters sustained the schism. Led by Festus, a group of clerics and senators laid charges against Symmachus in an attempt to secure his deposition. Theodoric summoned Symmachus to Ariminum to answer these charges, but after arriving, Symmachus fled the city in the middle of the night, returning to Rome, where he took refuge in St. Peter's for his safety. Many of the clergy withdrew from communion with Symmachus with persuades from Festus, and then, they entered into communion with Laurentius.
Symmachus argued that the presence of a visiting bishop implied the See of Rome was vacant, and He said that the See could only be vacant if the Pope was guilty on Heresy—which meant the case had already been decided before the evidence could be heard. Although the majority of the assembled bishops agreed with this, the Apostolic Visitor could not be made to withdraw without Theodoric's permission; this was not forthcoming. In response to this deadlock, rioting by the citizens of Rome increased, causing a number of bishops to flee Rome and the rest to petition Theodoric to move the synod to Ravenna.
King Theodoric refused their request to move the synod, ordering them instead to reconvene on 1 September. On 27 August the King wrote to the bishops that he was sending two of the Majores Domus nostrae, Gudila and Bedeulphus, to see to it that the synod assembled in safety and without fear. Upon reconvening, matters were no less acrimonious. First the accusers introduced a document which included a clause stating that the king already knew Symmachus was guilty, and thus the synod should assume guilt, hear the evidence, then pass sentence. More momentous was an attack by a mob on Pope Symmachus' party as he set out to make his appearance at the Synod: many of his supporters were injured and several—including the priests Gordianus and Dignissimus—killed. Symmachus retreated to St. Peter's and refused to come out, despite the urgings of deputations from the synod. The "Life of Symmachus", however, presents these killings as part of the street-fighting between the supporters of Senators Festus and Probinus on the one side, and Senator Faustus on the other. The attacks were directed particularly against clerics, including Dignissimus, a priest of San Pietro in Vincoli, and Gordianus, a priest of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, though the rhetoric of the passage extends the violence to anyone who was a supporter of Symmachus, man or woman, cleric or layperson. It was unsafe for a cleric to walk about in Rome at night.
Pope Symmachus prepared to compose the Best Strategy with inviting the Priests and the Catholic bishops of Africa and Sardinia who had been exiled by the rulers of the Arian Vandals. He also ransomed prisoners from upper Italy, and gave them gifts of aid.
At this point, the synod petitioned king Theodoric once again, asking permission to dissolve the meeting and return home. Theodoric replied, in a letter dated 1 October, that they must see the matter to a conclusion. So the bishops assembled once again on 23 October 502 at a place known as Palma, and after reviewing the events of the previous two sessions decided that since The True Catholic Pope was the successor of Peter the Apostle, they could not pass judgment on him, and left the matter to God to decide. All who had abandoned communion with him were urged to reconcile with him, and that any clergy who celebrated mass in Rome without his consent in the future should be punished as a schismatic.
A contentious synod held in 502 failed to resolve the schism. Laurentius returned to Rome later that year, and for the following four years, according to the "Laurentian Fragment", he held its churches and ruled as pope, with the support of Festus. Laurentius was only forced from his position when a diplomatic effort to convince Theodoric to intervene succeeded. Conducted chiefly by two non-Roman supporters, the Milanese deacon Ennodius and the exiled deacon Dioscorus, they convinced the king's personal physician, the deacon Helpidius, and then convinced Theodoric to instruct Festus to hand over the Roman churches to Symmachus. Symmachus with his efforts was successful to seize the Papacy from Antipope Laurentius.
Once news of Theodoric's decision reached Rome, Laurentius retired from the city to one of Festus's estates, according to the "Laurentian Fragment", because "he did not want the city to be troubled by daily strife", where he fasted constantly until his death.
And then, Pope Symmachus convened the Chalcedonian Creed back in Rome which condemns Monophysitism, Arianism, Nestorianism, and many others Heresy. Pope Symmachus died on 19 July 514, and was buried in St. Peter's Basilica. He had ruled for fifteen years, seven months, and twenty-seven days.
