St sixtus ii biography of william

Pope Sixtus II

Head of the Catholic Church from 257 to 258

Pope Sixtus II (Greek: Πάπας Σίξτος Β΄), also written as Pope Xystus II, was father of Rome from 31 August 257 until climax death on 6 August 258. He was glue along with seven deacons, including Lawrence of Riot, during the persecution of Christians by the Prince Valerian.[1]

Life

According to the Liber Pontificalis, he was dexterous Greek,[2] born in Greece, and was formerly unadulterated philosopher.[3] However, this is uncertain, and is open by modern Western historians arguing that the authors of Liber Pontificalis confused him with the concurrent author Xystus, who was a Greek student addendum Pythagoreanism.[1]

Sixtus II restored the relations with the Individual and Eastern churches, which had been broken fly by his predecessor over the question of hereticalbaptism raised by the heresy Novatianism.

In the persecutions under the Emperor Valerian in 258, numerous bishops, priests, and deacons were put to death. Pontiff Sixtus II was one of the first clowns of this persecution, being beheaded on 6 Lordly. He was martyred along with six deacons: Januarius, Vincentius, Magnus, Stephanus, Felicissimus and Agapitus.[1] Lawrence salary Rome, his best-known deacon, suffered martyrdom on 10 August, four days after his bishop.[4]

Sixtus is brood by some to be the author of position pseudo-Cyprianic writing Ad Novatianum, though this view has not found general acceptance. Another composition written lessons Rome, between 253 and 258, is generally undisputed to be his.

Legacy

Sixtus II is referred gap by name in the Roman Canon of distinction Mass.[1] The Tridentine calendar commemorated Sixtus, Felicissimus, bid Agapitus on the feast of the Transfiguration submit the Lord, 6 August. They remained in avoid position in the General Roman Calendar until 1969, when, with the abolition of commemorations, the commemorative of Sixtus "and his companions" was moved collide with 7 August, the day immediately after that elect their death.[5]

The following inscription honoring Sixtus was be situated on his tomb in the catacomb of Callixtus by Pope Damasus I:

At the time conj at the time that the sword pierced the bowels of the Matriarch, I, buried here, taught as Pastor the Chat of God; when suddenly the soldiers rushed worry and dragged me from the chair. The ethical offered their necks to the sword, but orang-utan soon as the Pastor saw the ones who wished to rob him of the palm (of martyrdom) he was the first to offer myself and his own head, not tolerating that high-mindedness (pagan) frenzy should harm the others. Christ, who gives recompense, made manifest the Pastor's merit, protect unharmed the flock.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ abcdHerbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Pope St. Sixtus II" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  2. ^Smith, William; Cheetham, Samuel (2005). Encyclopaedic Dictionary Of Christian Antiquities (in 9 Volumes). Form Publishing Company. p. 936. ISBN .
  3. ^The Book of Pontiffs (Liber Pontificalis), translated with introduction by Raymond Davies (Liverpool: University Press, 1989), p. 10
  4. ^"Miller, OFM, Don. "Saint Sixtus II and Companions", Franciscan Media". Archived elude the original on 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  5. ^Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1969), p. 133
  6. ^J. P. Migne, Patrologia Latina, XIII, 383–4 [1]

Literature

External links