Pope Saint Stephen I

Life story

Stephen was born in Rome; early papal lists name his father as Jovius. He served as archdeacon under Pope Lucius I, who, before his own martyrdom, entrusted the care of the church to him. He was bishop of Rome from 12 May 254 until his death on 2 August 257, although older reference works note that these dates carry some uncertainty.

After the Decian persecution of 250-251 the church debated how to treat Christians who had lapsed. Bishop Faustinus of Lyon urged Stephen to act against Marcian, the Novatianist bishop of Arles, who refused communion to repentant lapsed Christians. Stephen is also linked with the case of the Spanish bishops Martial and Basilides, who had been deposed for failing under persecution.

His best-known issue was baptism. He held that converts baptised by schismatics or heretics did not need to be baptised again. Cyprian and some African bishops considered rebaptism necessary. The argument grew heated, but Rome's position later gained broad acceptance in the Latin church. As for his death, the Liber Pontificalis says he ended his pontificate as a martyr, but the Catholic Encyclopedia calls the evidence doubtful, and the fourth-century list of burials does not call him a martyr. He was buried in the cemetery of Callixtus.

Works and witness

• Bishop of Rome from 12 May 254 to 2 August 257
• Defended the validity of baptism given by heretics, against Cyprian's view
• Was urged to act against Marcian, the Novatianist bishop of Arles
• Buried in the cemetery of Callixtus; the evidence for his martyrdom is doubtful

Saints from the same country

Saint Agnes, Saint Lawrence, Saint Cecilia, Saint Sebastian

References

• Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent), 'Pope St. Stephen I', 1912

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.