Pope Sixtus II or Pope Saint Sixtus II (a corruption of Greek Ξυστος, Xystus, "polished") was Pope from August 30, 257 to August 6, 258. He died as a martyr during the persecution by Emperor Valerian.
According to the Liber Pontificalis, he was Greek by birth; however this is uncertain and disputed by modern western historians arguing that the authors of Liber Pontificalis confused him with that of the contemporary author Xystus who was Greek stu...
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Pope Sixtus II or Pope Saint Sixtus II (a corruption of Greek Ξυστος, Xystus, "polished") was Pope from August 30, 257 to August 6, 258. He died as a martyr during the persecution by Emperor Valerian.
According to the Liber Pontificalis, he was Greek by birth; however this is uncertain and disputed by modern western historians arguing that the authors of Liber Pontificalis confused him with that of the contemporary author Xystus who was Greek student of Pythagoreanism. He restored the relations with the African and Eastern Orthodox churches which had been broken off by his predecessor on the question of heretical baptism.
In the persecutions under Emperor Valerian I in 258, numerous bishops, priests, and deacons were put to death. Pope Sixtus II was one of the first victims of this persecution, being beheaded on August 6. He was martyred along with six deacons—Januarius, Vincentius, Magnus, Stephanus, Felicissimus and Agapitus .
He is thought to be the author of the pseudo-Cyprianic...
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