14
Pope Gelasius I expounded the jurisdictional primacy of the Roman Church in a letter from 496 in which he carefully enlightened his audience on the subject of the Roman Church as judge of other churches . Appeal to her was possible but from her it was not . His text elaborated on the statements made by the council of Sardica 343 which was perhaps the original testimonial regarding appellate jurisdiction over other churches . He also explained that the decision of the Pope was final . All of this from the fourth and fifth centuries assisted in the shaping and
molding of the reform papacy ’ s understanding of Roman judicial supremacy . 27
From his epistle 42 Gelasius I explained that Christianity had spread throughout the world and that the Roman Church was primary because Christ had named Peter the rock , gave to him the keys of heaven and the power to bind and to loose . In addition the martyrdom of St . Paul and St . Peter by Nero had elevated the Roman Church above all others . “ Accordingly , the see of Peter the Apostle of the Church of Rome is first , having neither spot , nor wrinkle , nor anything of this kind [ Eph . 5:27 ].” 28 The writings of Gelasius were not an attempt to secure new or greater power . He was battling heresy in the East and the emperor who tolerated it , who intruded in ecclesiastical affairs
179-80 .
27 I . S . Robinson , The Papacy : 1073-1198 ( 1990 , repr ., New York : Cambridge University Press , 1993 ),
28 Denzinger , 68 .