Blastus was a 2nd-century leader of the Roman Montanists, a presbyter in Rome and a

Quartodeciman Quartodecimanism (from the Vulgate Latin ''quarta decima'' in Leviticus 23:5, meaning fourteenth) is the practice of celebrating Easter on the 14th of Nisan being on whatever day of the week, practicing Easter around the same time as the Passo ...

, however likely originally born in

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...

. Blastus caused a schism in Rome about Easter and gained many followers. Some scholars have argued that the hostility of

Pope Victor I Pope Victor I (died 199) was the bishop of Rome in the late second century (189–199 A.D.). The dates of his tenure are uncertain, but one source states he became pope in 189 and gives the year of his death as 199.Kirsch, Johann Peter (1912). "Po ...

against the Quartodecimans, was caused by Blastus' schism. Blastus argued that Christians must keep Easter at the same time Moses commanded passover to be kept. Blastus was accused of

judaizing Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the M ...

the Church by

pseudo-Tertullian Pseudo-Tertullian is the scholarly name for the unknown author of ''Adversus Omnes Haereses'', an appendix to the work ''De praescriptionem haereticorum'' of Tertullian. It lists 32 heresies, and there is consensus that this work is not by Tertull ...

Irenaeus Irenaeus (; grc-gre, Εἰρηναῖος ''Eirēnaios''; c. 130 – c. 202 AD) was a Greek bishop noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in the southern regions of present-day France and, more widely, for the dev ...

wrote a letter to Blastus called "on Schism" which is no longer extant.

Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Chris ...

mentions Blastus along with Florinus stating:

Others, of whom Florinus was chief, flourished at Rome. He fell from the presbyterate of the Church, and Blastus was involved in a similar fall. They also drew away many of the Church to their opinion, each striving to introduce his own innovations in respect to the truth.

References

{{Montanism 2nd-century Christian theologians 2nd-century Romans Montanism

See also

References