Pope Saint Telesphorus
Second-century bishop of Rome whom Irenaeus names as a martyr
- Rank
- Saint
- Kind
- Pope, Martyr
- Feast
- 5 January
- Countries
- Greece, Italy
Life story
Telesphorus is counted as the seventh bishop of Rome after the Apostles in the Catholic Encyclopedia, while other lists count him as the eighth after Peter. The sources do not agree on dates. Eusebius puts the start of his term in the twelfth year of Hadrian (about 128 to 129) and his death in the first year of Antoninus Pius (about 138 to 139), while other lists give about 125 to 136 or 126 to 137. All that can be said is that he led the Roman church somewhere between about 125 and 138.
As to origin, a tradition based on the Liber Pontificalis makes him Greek and a hermit before becoming bishop. This is a late detail with no early confirmation. The earliest evidence is Irenaeus, writing around 180 in Against Heresies, who says that he suffered a glorious martyrdom.
In Irenaeus's letter to Pope Victor, preserved by Eusebius, Telesphorus is named among the Roman bishops who kept Easter on a Sunday but stayed in communion with churches that kept it differently. Later tradition credited him with a seven-week Lent, a midnight Mass at Christmas and the Gloria. The Catholic Encyclopedia, following Kirsch, holds that the claims in the Liber Pontificalis are not genuine. The Liber Pontificalis adds that he was buried near the tomb of Peter, which is also late tradition. His feast is 5 January in the Roman Martyrology and 22 February in the Greek Church.
Works and witness
- Bishop of Rome around the mid-second century, roughly 125 to 138
- Named by Irenaeus as having died a martyr
- Listed among Roman bishops who kept Easter on Sunday yet stayed in communion with other churches
- Liturgical rules attributed to him (Lent, Christmas midnight Mass, Gloria) are not accepted by scholars
Saints from the same country
References
- New Advent, Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), 'Pope St. Telesphorus', newadvent.org/cathen/14477b.htm
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.