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Cornelius was elected pope on either March 6 or
March 13, 251 during the lull in the persecution
of the emperor Decius. His election was opposed by
Novatian, who maintained the view that not even
the bishops could grant remission for grave sins
like murder, adultery, and apostasy, but that
these could only be remitted at the Last
Judgement; Cornelius on the contrary believed that
bishops could grant remission for these grave
sins. With the help of Cyprian|St Cyprian, his
party prevailed and he was elected Pope. Novatian
fled Rome, but his followers organized into a sect
considered heresy|heretical by the rest of
Christianity. (Novatianism|Novatianists)

In Cyprian's writings supporting Cornelius, it
appears that the Roman church of the time had 155
clergy and supported through its efforts some 1500
widows and  poor (Brown 1987 p 270).

After ruling for two years, under the emperor
Trebonianus Gallus, he was exiled to Centuricellae
(Civita Vecchia), where he died. He is
commemorated with Cyprian on September 16, which
is not, however the anniversary of his death.  He
died in June 253.

==Source==
*Brown, Peter 1987 in A History of Private Life:
1. From Pagan Rome to Byzantium, Paul Veyne,
editor.

Pope|
Predecessor=Pope Fabian|Saint Fabian|
Successor=Pope Lucius I|Saint Lucius
I|Dates=251–253