The Conflict between Damasus and Ursinus: Damasus's Contested Legitimacy as Bishop of Rome

The succession of Liberius as Bishop of Rome is notorious for a bloody clash between the supporters of both contenders to the See of Peter, Damasus and Ursinus. Several casualties were reported, after which Damasus gained the upper hand. Nevertheless, the conflict between both parties continued as long as Damasus remained in office, until his death in 384. This fact raises questions about Damasus's legitimacy as bishop of Rome. The current article frames and addresses these questions. Our study analyzes the information about the events following Liberius's death. We bring together data available in late antique sources and evaluate current scholarship on the matter. In order to situate the conflict between Damasus and Ursinus, we compare their simultaneous elections with other double episcopal succession disputes in Late Antiquity. By doing so, it is possible to delineate the criteria for valid episcopal successions to the See of Peter in this period. According to these criteria, Damasus, and not Ursinus, was rightfully considered the successor of Liberius. Damasus enjoyed the most support and performed all the necessary steps for a valid succession. Yet public acclamation by the people, an important step in the succession process, was missing in Ursinus's case. In this way, Ursinus never obtained recognition as the legitimate new bishop of Rome.