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[[Image:0408celestine-rome.jpg|thumb|right|Saint Celestine, Pope of Rome]]
[[Saint]] '''Celestine of Rome''' held [[Pope|papal]] authority from 422 - 432. During his papacy, the saint strongly defended the [[Church]] and denounced the Nestorian heresy. He is remembered on [[April 8 ]] in the east and [[April 6 ]] in the west.
==Life==
Saint Celestine, a zealous champion of Orthodoxy, lived during the reign of the holy Emperor Theodosius the Younger (408-450). He received an excellent education, and he was known for his extensive knowledge of the [[Holy Scripture]] and his theological ponderings.
The virtuous life of the [[saint]] and his authority as a [[theologian ]] won him the general esteem and love of the [[clergy ]] and people. After the death of St Boniface I, St Celestine was chosen to be the [[Bishop]] of [[Church of Rome|Rome]].
A strong character, Saint Celestine was active against [[pelagianism]], he sent St. Germanus of Auxerre to Britain and St. Palladius to Ireland.
During this time, the [[heresy]] of [[Nestorius]] emerged. At a local Council in Rome in 430, St Celestine denounced this [[heresy ]] and condemned Nestorius as a [[heretic]]. After the Council, St Celestine wrote a letter to St [[Cyril of Alexandria|Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria]] ([[January 18]]), stating that if Nestorius did not renounce his false teachings after ten days, then he should be deposed and excommunicated.
St Celestine also sent a series of letters to other churches, [[Constantinople]] and [[Antioch]], in which he unmasked and denounced the Nestorian heresy.
