Give me the scoop on Caius. Pope St. Caius reigned as pope for 12 years, four months, and seven days, having been elected on December 17, 283 and dying April 22, 296. Unverifiable tradition holds that St. Caius was born near modern-day Croatia, belonged to a noble family, and was a relative of the Roman …
Give me the scoop on Eutychian. St. Eutychian was elected pope just a few days after the death of St. Felix I, his predecessor, ascending to the Chair of St. Peter on January 4, 275. Other than that, we know next to nothing about his pontificate, since there was (surprisingly) such an immense period of …
Give me the scoop on Felix I. Little is known about St. Felix I prior to his papacy. Elected on January 5, 269 to replace St. Dionysius, Felix’s New Year’s Resolution that year was probably, “Be a good pope.” The Liber Pontificalis credits Felix I with a decree that Mass should be regularly said over the tombs …
Give me the scoop on Dionysius. Bearing a rather common name for the time period, Pope St. Dionysius can be easily confused with contemporaries St. Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, or the martyr St. Dionysius of Paris, among others past and future. Pope St. Dionysius first appears on the scene as a Roman priest under Pope …
Give me the scoop on Sixtus II. Given the testy situation in the Roman Empire at the time, St. Sixtus II was elected in secret on August 30, 257. He was known for being a “good and peaceful priest,” according to Pontius, his biographer. Having also been faced, like his predecessor St. Stephen I, with …
Give me the scoop on Stephen I. Stephen I was a Roman by birth and served as archdeacon (the pope’s Number Two) to his predecessor Lucius I. Stephen also collaborated with St. Cyprian of Carthage like the two popes before him, but their relationship was a bit rockier than that of Lucius I and Cornelius. …
Give me the scoop on Lucius I. St. Lucius I was the odds-on pick after St. Cornelius was exiled and martyred in 253. He was a Roman priest prior to his election, and almost immediately after taking the Chair of Peter, Lucius was also exiled. The exile, thanks be to God, wasn’t permanent. Presumably after …
How do we know he was pope? The Liber Pontificalis lists Cornelius as the successor of St. Fabian. His reign is also validated by writings that still exist from St. Cyprian of Carthage (a bishop during Cornelius’ papacy) and Eusebius, writing on Church history in the early 4th century. Give me the scoop on Cornelius. …
Pope from 235-236 A.D.Died: 236 A.D.Pronounced: AUNT-air-uss How do we know he was pope? The Liber Pontificalis (“Book of Popes”) lists Pope St. Anterus as the immediate successor of Pontian. Church historian Eusebius, writing around 325 AD, confirms the same and lists him as the 18th successor of St. Peter. Give me the scoop on Anterus.Possibly born a …
How do we know he was pope? The Liber Pontificalis (“Book of Popes”) lists Pope St. Pontian as the immediate successor of Urban I. Church historian Eusebius, writing around 325 AD, confirms the same and lists him as the 17th successor of St. Peter. Give me the scoop on Pontian. Pontian was a Roman by …