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Name:
Pope Stephen I
Preceded by: St. Lucius I (253 - 254)
Succeeded by: St. Sixtus II (257 - 258)
Roman Catholic Pope #23
Dates:
Born: ?
Died: August 2, 257
Pope: May 12, 254 - August 2, 257 (3 years)
antipope: Novatian (251 - 258)
Feast Day: August 2
Biography:
Not a great deal is known about Pope Stephen I and much of what we do have comes from
the writings of Novatus, condemned as a heretic. He is perhaps best known for his involvement
in the controversy over what to do with the Lapsed Christians who renounced their faith under
the persecutions of Roman Emperor Decius. Many bishops insisted that, if repentant, such
people had to be re-baptized because their original baptisms were no longer valid.
Others, however disagreed - and Pope Stephen insisted that this was a matter on which bishops must adhere to his wishes. The leader of those who argued for re-baptism was Cyprian of Carthage but Stephen had his way and saw to it that even bishops who had become lapsed would be let back into the Church without a new baptism. Relations with Cyprian would be healed under Stephen's successor, Sixtus II, who permitted the existence of both practices.
Stephen was also active in efforts to promote the power and importance of the bishop of Rome over other bishops in the Christian Church. He claimed to be the direct successor of Peter "upon whom the foundations of the Church were laid" and he made use of the term cathedra Petri, which means "the chair of Peter" to describe the authority of Rome over all others. This made him many rivals and enemies among other bishops who objected to his interference into what they considered their sphere of authority.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
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