FELIX I., a Roman by birth, succeeded Dionysius in the papal chair in December 269. Regarding his pontificate there is little authentic information, but he is said to have given ecclesiastical sanction to the yearly celebration of the mass over the graves of the martyrs, a custom, however, which had been previously in existence ; and the law regarding the consecration of churches is also ascribed to him. On account, it is said, of his having strongly supported the Christians during the persecutions under Aurelius, he was enrolled among the martyrs, his day being the 20th of May. He died in 274. A fragment of a letter to Maximus, bishop of Alexandria, in support of the doctrines of the Trinity and Incarnation against the arguments of Paul of Samosata, was in all probability written by Felix, but other three letters ascribed to him are certainly ungenuine.