Pope Liberius (36º): Biography, Pontificate & Legacy

Who Was Pope Liberius?

Among the 267 popes, Liberius is number 36, remembered for the years 17 May 352 –24 September 366 in the apostolic and patristic Church. Banished by the Arian-leaning Emperor Constantius II and later yielding to him. Use the sections below to move from a one-line summary of Liberius to a usable historical and spiritual picture.

Early Life & Background

Born Rome, Italy, Roman Empire, he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church.

Historical Context

Liberius (#undefined) shepherded Christians when the faith was still illegal or barely tolerated inside the Roman Empire; records are thin, yet tradition preserves these earliest successors of St. Peter.

Pontificate & Key Events

The pontificate (17 May 352 –24 September 366) centered on governance during the apostolic and patristic Church. Revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 27 August.

Papal Acts & Achievements

Acts associated with Liberius (#36, 17 May 352 –24 September 366) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. His reign remains a link in the succession now counted at 267 popes.

Key Highlights

• 36th pope of the Catholic Church
• Pontificate: 17 May 352 –24 September 366
• Earliest pope not canonized by the Latin Church.
• Revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 27 August.

Legacy in the Catholic Church

Liberius remains pope 36º in the Annuario Pontificio. Set against the apostolic and patristic Church, Liberius's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.

Why Catholics Study This Pope Today

Catholics who open a page on Liberius usually want more than a birth-death line — they want to know what #36 did inside the apostolic and patristic Church. Start with the concrete record: Earliest pope not canonized by the Latin Church. Then step back to the full list of 267 popes to see where Liberius sits between crisis and consolidation.

Place in the Line of Succession

Liberius followed Pope St. Julius I (35º, 6 February 337 –12 April 352) after a transition shaped by the politics and piety of their shared century. He was followed by Pope St. Damasus I (37º, 1 October 366 –11 December 384), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.