Gelasius I was the Bishop of Rome who served from 492 until his death in 496. Born in Africa, he served as a prolific author during a period marking the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. His pontificate was characterized by a strong emphasis on Catholic orthodoxy and a vigorous assertion of papal authority over the universal Church. He is notably remembered for his diplomatic and theological efforts to manage tensions between the Western Church and the Eastern Roman Empire during the Acacian schism.