Saints Hippolytus and Pontian

Feast August 13

Pope Hippolytus (170 – 235)

Patron saint of: horses; prison guards; prison officers; prison workers

Birth: 170 Death: 235

August 13 commemorates the feast of two “firsts” in the history of the Catholic Church. Saint Hippolytus bears the distinction of being the first official antipope and Saint Pontain was the first pope to ever abdicate the Chair of Saint Peter. These historical facts attest to the trying times of the early Church.

Saint Hippolytus, biblical commentator and theologian, served in leadership under rather unique circumstances. Photios I of Constantinople describes him in his Bibliotheca (cod. 121) as a disciple of Irenaeus, who was said to be a disciple of Polycarp. An ethical conservative, he was scandalized when Pope Callixtus I (217–222 AD) extended absolution to Christians who had committed such mortal sins as adultery. A rival to the bishop of Rome, Hippolytus has the distinction of becoming the first antipope. In this view, he opposed the Roman Popes who look a more lenient penitential approach to accommodate the large number of new pagan converts. However, he was reconciled to the Church before he died as a martyr.

Saint Hippolytus contributed greatly to the writings of the early Church. He composed a work now entitled the Apostolic Tradition, which contains the earliest known rite of ordination. It is from this document that the words of episcopal ordination in the Catholic Church come from, as updated by Pope Paul VI. He also wrote a compilation embracing the whole period from the creation of the world up to the year 234 A.D., which has since formed a basis for many chronographical works both in the East and West.

Saint Pontain

Patron Saint of: Montaldo Scarampi, Italy

Pope from 230-235

A contemporary of Saint Hippolytus, Saint Pontain, whose birthdate is unknown, reigned as pope for five years, from 230-235.

In the first years of his pontificate, the early Christian Church enjoyed relative peace. But then, according to the well-known Church historian Eusebius, the next emperor, Maximinus, began a campaign of active and brutal persecution of the nascent Church. Both Pope Pontian and the Antipope Hippolytus of Rome were arrested and exiled to labor in the mines of Sardinia, generally regarded as a death sentence.

In order to make certain that the Church was not deprived of its leadership, Saint Pontian stepped down, the first pope ever to do so. Consequently, Pope Anteros was elected in his stead, but reigned for less than two months.

Around this time, Saint Hippolytus became reconciled to the Roman Church, and with this the schism he had caused came to an end.

Both saints gave their lives in martyrdom while in exile in the infamous mines of Sardinia.

Pope Fabian (236-50), successor to Pope Anteros, had the remains of Pontian and Hippolytus brought to Rome at a later date and Pontian was buried in the papal crypt of the Catacomb of Callixtus on the Appian Way. The slab covering his tomb was discovered in 1909. On it is inscribed in Greek: Ποντιανός Επίσκ (Pontianus Episk; in English Pontianus Bish). The inscription "Μάρτυρ", "MARTUR" had been added in another hand.

Pontian was elected pope in 230 and reigned until the year 235.

The schism of Hippolytus continued during his episcopate.

Towards the end of his pontificate there was a reconciliation between the schismatic party and its leader with the Roman pontiff.

After the condemnation of Origen at Alexandria, a synod was held by Pontian in Rome, which concurred in the decisions of the Alexandrian synod against Origen.

In 235 during the reign of Maximinus the Thracian a persecution directed chiefly against the heads of the Church began. One of its first victims was Pontian, who with Hippolytus was banished to the unhealthy island of Sardinia.

To make the election of a new pope possible, Pope Pontian resigned his holy office on September 28, 235. Consequently, Anteros was elected in his stead but reigned for less than two months.

Shortly before this or soon afterwards Hippolytus, who had been banished with Pontian, became reconciled to the Roman Church, and with this the schism he had caused came to an end.

How much longer Pontian endured the sufferings of exile and harsh treatment in the Sardinian mines is unknown.

According to old and no longer existing accounts, he died in consequence of the privations and inhuman treatment he had to bear.

Pope Fabian (236-50), successor to Pope Anteros, had the remains of Pontian and Hippolytus brought to Rome at a later date and Pontian was buried in the papal crypt of the Catacomb of Callixtus.