The Martyrdom of Pope St. Silverius -- Starved to death on the Island of Palmarola in AD 538

Gloria Romanorum ^ | November 16, 2023 | Florentius

[Antoninus]

Throughout the history of the Church, several Popes have been deposed for a variety of reasons. Pope Liberius was deposed and exiled by the Arian emperor, Constantius II in the mid-4th century. Six hundred years later, Pope Gregory VII was deposed by anti-Pope Clement III, the creature of the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV.

During the reign of Justinian, Pope Saint Silverius, who I have written about previously on this blog, was not only deposed—he was martyred by the political forces who coveted his ecclesiastical power as head of the Church. In my previous post, I included an excerpt from the Liber Pontificalis that provided some extraordinary details of the event. Given that the Liber was first compiled in the late 6th century, possibly within living memory of the deposition, it is a solid source, and I used the account provided therein as the basis for that pivotal scene in Belisarius Book III: Rome the Eternal.

Most of what we know of Silverius's brief reign comes from the Liber Pontificalis and the writings of Procopius. To the best of my knowledge, the only written work of Silverius that survives is an epitaph that he wrote for his father, Pope Saint Hormisdas. After his deposition, Silverius was exiled to the city of Patara in Asia Minor. According to the account of Liberatus of Carthage in his Breviarium, it soon became clear to the resident bishop, a certain Licinius, that Silverius had been slanderously accused and wrongfully deposed. Licinius took it upon himself to go directly to Constantinople to advise the emperor Justinian of this fact. The bishop's effort had the desired effect because following this meeting, the emperor sent Silverius back to Italy to receive a proper trial.

But Silverius would never get the opportunity to defend himself. Upon his arrival in Italy, the deposed Pope was seized and hustled to the tiny island of Palmarola about 20 miles off the west coast of Italy, roughly halfway between Rome and Naples.

A craggy islet about a mile long and a quarter of a mile wide, Palmarola is part of the Pontine Archipelago, a grouping of small islands which were used as places of exile during Roman times. One of the other islands in the group—known as Ventotene today and Pandateria in antiquity—once housed the disgraced Julia the Elder, daughter of Augustus Caesar. The same island also served as the place of exile for Agrippina the Elder, granddaughter of Augustus. Saint Flavia Domitilla, granddaughter of the emperor Vespasian, was also exiled there on suspicion of being a Christian.

But Pandateria at least has a harbor and some residents. Tiny Palmarola is uninhabited. It is said that Pope Silverius starved to death after being abandoned there. To this day, a shrine in his honor may be found on Palmarola.

Here is how I have described the scene in Belisarius: Rome the Eternal. Silverius is a recurring character in the first half of the book, and I have given him a fictional servant named Philo to serve as an interlocutor:

Chapter XXIX

“Something’s wrong,” Philo whispered. “The pilots were supposed to conduct us into the harbor, but instead, they are taking us back out to sea.”

“We are in God’s hands, Philo,” Pope Silverius replied. “His will be done.” The Holy Father had become thinner since his exile in the east. A rough gray beard now covered his previously smooth chin. A raspy cough rattled in his chest, as he pulled his cloak tighter about him to ward off the chilly wind.

“That may be, but nevertheless, I am going to say something,” Philo persisted.

“Friend, I beg you...” Silverius trailed off. But his servant was already making his way to the stern from whence the ship was conned. Silverius returned to his prayers, gazing out over the choppy sea. January was a terrible time for travel by sea and the sailors dreaded it. To this point, they had credited their unusually safe passage from Asia at this inauspicious time of year to Stella Maris smiling kindly upon their very special passenger. But their attitude had shifted after their arrival outside the harbor at Ostia. A large dromon had intercepted them and four men came across in a skiff, braving the rough seas. All aboard had assumed they were harbor pilots—until the ship’s prow was turned toward the south, back from whence they had come.

Striding with care along the pitching deck with Philo stumbling behind him, a hooded Calligonus approached Silverius with a stony expression. “My apologies but there has been a change of plans. It is too dangerous for you to land at Ostia now. We will therefore conduct you to a place of safety until the perils have passed.”

“Where?” Philo asked. “Neapolis? We seem to be sailing south.”

Silverius said nothing. He recognized Calligonus immediately as one who had been present at his deposition and none too friendly.

“Neapolis is not safe either, I’m afraid,” Calligonus said.

“Safe for whom?” Silverius asked. “Belisarius and his wife? Or for Theodora, perhaps?”

Calligonus gave a sly smile, bowed his head and walked away.

“What do you mean?” Philo said, clutching Silverius’s sleeve, alarm rising in his voice. “Where are they taking us, Holy Father?”

“God knows,” Silverius replied.

Several hours of sailing brought them to within sight of a small islet with vaulting cliffs of sheer rock, almost white, emerging from a rolling azure sea. Using a combination of sail and oars, the crew maneuvered the ship to a sheltered spot about two bowshots offshore where they dropped anchor.

“May I present your new home,” Calligonus said as he once again approached Silverius and Philo.

“Does this rock even have a name?” an agitated Philo asked.

“It is called Palmarola,” Calligonus replied. “I am told that no one lives there at all, so you will have a new patriarchal see all to yourself with plenty of gulls and lizards to hear your homilies. Now, if you please. I would ask you both to step smartly into the boat. Your basilica awaits.”

“Is there even any fresh water?” Philo cried.

“That’s a fair question,” Calligonus puzzled. “You will have to find out.”

Pope Silverius and his servant climbed down into the heaving boat with friendly hands from the sailors, all of whom seemed to dread what was happening. “Remember us in your prayers, Holy Father,” one of them said softly. “What we do today we are forced to do.”

“Have no concern, my son,” Silverius replied. “Even Saint Peter was led where he did not wish to go.”

“Forgive us!” a few called aloud from the deck.

Silverius made the sign of the cross over the ship as the boat pulled away. “I shall always remember the kind sailors who risked the winter seas for me.”

Moments later, the boat grounded on a beach of brown sand. The three henchmen of Calligonus hurried Silverius and Philo out of the boat, dumped some meager supplies on the beach, and hastened to row back to the ship. Within an hour, the ship had sailed out of sight.

Resigned to his fate, Silverius soon found a small grotto which would at least offer shelter and a place to pray if nothing else. He put the supplies in order and attempted to set up a place of repose for them that was somewhat protected from the chilly wind. Philo, meanwhile, made a circuit of the tiny island which did not take him long.

“Based on what I have seen, we will starve within two weeks,” Philo declared. “Sooner if it doesn’t rain at all.”

“I doubt I will last even that long,” Silverius said, suppressing a cough. Even the light work he had done had exhausted him.

“Perhaps they will drop food and water for us?”

“I don’t think so, my friend,” Silverius smiled a little sadly. “I think Our Lord Jesus has offered us the palm of a bloodless martyrdom. Let us embrace it, come what may.”

Philo sighed, fingering the stiff fronds of a dwarf palm which he had collected during his walk. “A small, pathetic palm to match the stunted trees that clutter this tiny rock.”

Silverius smiled luminously. “There is no such thing as a small martyrdom. Let us fill this island with our prayerful voices so that blessings may flow from it for centuries to come.”

If you enjoyed that passage, you'll probably enjoy the entire book which is available for purchase at the Arx Publishing website. Other excerpts from this book may be found at these links:

• "He weathered their rage like some craggy rock in a howling tempest." ~ Belisarius and the lead-up to the Great Siege of Rome
• Saint Benedict Chases the Devil off a Boulder
• "They went with all speed to the palace carrying weapons and raising a great tumult" ~ March 23, AD 536, Mutiny of Justinian's Army in Africa

[Antoninus]

One wonders what will be written in the future concerning the fates of Benedict XVI and Francis.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

One also wonders who recorded the conversation between Silverius and Philo?

Did Philo survive and get off the island? How?

[Antoninus]

I think the author of the novel recorded it!

The bit at the end is a dramatization, not recorded history.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

I was unsure if Philo had escaped and brought a report of the conversation to the world.

So this was fictional. Got it.

Thank you.

[ebb tide]

Ping

[ebb tide]

So this was fictional. Got it.

What part of the following did you miss?

But Pandateria at least has a harbor and some residents. Tiny Palmarola is uninhabited. It is said that Pope Silverius starved to death after being abandoned there. To this day, a shrine in his honor may be found on Palmarola.

Here is how I have described the scene in Belisarius: Rome the Eternal. Silverius is a recurring character in the first half of the book, and I have given him a fictional servant named Philo to serve as an interlocutor:

[SpirituTuo]

I found this statement curious: the only written work of Silverius that survives is an epitaph that he wrote for his father, Pope Saint Hormisdas.

His father was Pope? No vow of chastity?

If you any insight, I’d be interested to know more. Thanks!

[AZJeep]

At that time, no clergy was required to be chaste.
Just living Christian life.

[Antoninus]

His father was Pope? No vow of chastity? If you any insight, I’d be interested to know more. Thanks!

In the early Church, married men could be priests. Note that priests could not marry -- but if you were already married, you could be elevated to the priesthood and beyond.

That said, there were many unmarried priests, and eventually this discipline became universal as it was clear that those with families struggled to devote their lives completely to Christ to the same extent as those without.

[Antoninus]

At that time, no clergy was required to be chaste.

Not exactly true. If you were an unmarried presbyter (and there were many), you were meant to be celibate.

[Romulus]

You mean celibate. All Christians are called to be chaste.

[AZJeep]

But many clergy were married.
Up to about AD 1000, the clergy, even some monks, were married.
Bible requires religious to be ONE wife man, but as Paul said, it is preferred to be celibate.
So there were always some celibate priests, but it was considered optional.
Eusebius (Bishop of Caesarea), around Ad 300, lists in his History of the Church, among many heresies, “those who would like to deprive us of the blessings of the marriage sacrament”

[Campion]

those who would like to deprive us of the blessings of the marriage sacrament

I'm not able to find this citation. Can you give it to me?

The closest I've come is Chapter XVIII, v 2, where he criticizes the heretic Montanus for having "taught the dissolution of marriage". (The likely meaning is that Montanists required followers in legitimately-contracted second marriages to divorce.)

The question I would like answered is "who was 'us'" in your quote -- clerics, or Catholics in general.

[Campion]

Up to about AD 1000, the clergy, even some monks, were married.

Some clergy perhaps. Clerical celibacy was taught clearly in the West beginning with the Council of Elvira (around AD 305).

[AZJeep]

Book IV chapter 29

Those who are called Encratites, and who sprung from Saturninus and Marcion, preached celibacy, setting aside the original arrangement of God and tacitly censuring him who made male and female for the propagation of the human race. They introduced also abstinence from the things called by them animate, thus showing ingratitude to the God who made all things. And they deny the salvation of the first man.

3. But this has been only recently discovered by them, a certain Tatian being the first to introduce this blasphemy. He was a hearer of Justin, and expressed no such opinion while he was with him, but after the martyrdom of the latter he left the Church, and becoming exalted with the thought of being a teacher, and puffed up with the idea that he was superior to others, he established a peculiar type of doctrine of his own, inventing certain invisible æons like the followers of Valentinus, while, like Marcion and Saturninus, he pronounced marriage to be corruption and fornication. His argument against the salvation of Adam, however, he devised for himself. Irenæus at that time wrote thus.

There are more, like book III chapter 30 and several others.

Obviously, certain people were pushing for celibacy pretty much from the beginning, but Eusebius consider them heretics.

[Antoninus]

But many clergy were married. Up to about AD 1000, the clergy, even some monks, were married.

No argument. But they were always married first and became priests afterwards.

Eusebius (Bishop of Caesarea), around Ad 300, lists in his History of the Church, among many heresies, “those who would like to deprive us of the blessings of the marriage sacrament”

Go ahead--cite where exactly in Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History that quote comes from. Also, Eusebius is classed as a semi-Arian, so his word on heresies is not terribly authoritative.

[Antoninus]

Those who are called Encratites, and who sprung from Saturninus and Marcion, preached celibacy, setting aside the original arrangement of God and tacitly censuring him who made male and female for the propagation of the human race.

These people were heretics because they taught that ALL should remain celibate, similar to later heretical groups like the Cathars and Shakers who had utterly bizarre views of proper and improper sexual relations and the propagation of the race. This says absolutely nothing about the priestly state so it does not support your argument even a little bit.

[Antoninus]

Eusebius, Book III, Chapter 30:
1. Clement, indeed, whose words we have just quoted, after the above-mentioned facts gives a statement, on account of those who rejected marriage, of the apostles that had wives. Or will they, says he, reject even the apostles? For Peter and Philip begot children; and Philip also gave his daughters in marriage. And Paul does not hesitate, in one of his epistles, to greet his wife, whom he did not take about with him, that he might not be inconvenienced in his ministry.

Once again, Eusebius is denouncing the heretical position that all marriage is evil - a gnostic position the Cathars and several Protestant groups would later adopt as well.

This is not the Catholic position at all. The Catholic position is that marriage is a great good -- and that a man who willingly surrenders his desire for marriage to serve the people of God does a greater good.