heretic may also be discounted, for any papal decision made in
circumstances of coercion can never qualify as infallible.
Likewise, in the sixth century Pope Vigilius ascended to the Throne of St.
Peter with the help of the Empress Theodora because of his pro-
Monophysite views. However, once Pope, Vigilius suddenly underwent a
dramatic change and declared, “Formerly, I spoke wrongly and foolishly.
Though unworthy, I am Vicar of Blessed Peter.” In return for his fidelity to
Catholic orthodoxy, Pope Vigilius was taken to Constantinople for eight
years where he endured a “white martyrdom” ending with death on his
return journey to Rome.
Pope Honorius is often alleged to have taught Monothelitism, which held
that in Christ there was only one divine will and not two wills, human and
divine. The reality is that he taught nothing, preferring (though unwisely) to
remain silent in order to maintain peace within the Church. However,
infallibility is only involved when the Pope is defining a doctrine for the
universal Church, not when he is not defining a doctrine. Honorius’
condemnation by the Third Council of Constantinople (680), which was
approved by Pope Leo II, was based not on doctrinal grounds but on his
moral failure to crush a heresy early before it had the opportunity to spread.
Concerning the case of Galileo, since neither Popes Paul V nor Urban VIII
promulgated the condemnation of the heliocentric system by the Holy
Office as their own, papal infallibility was not involved. As stated earlier, a
Pope cannot delegate the exercise of infallible authority to any other
Church congregation or organ.
The Fathers
Tertullian, The Demurrer Against the Heretics 23, 10 (c 200 AD)
“Moreover, if Peter was reproached [by Paul] because, after having lived
with the gentiles, he later separated himself from their company out of
respect for persons, the fault certainly was one of procedure and not of
doctrine.”
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