St. Callistus I

Biography

St. Callistus I (d. c. 222) is one of the most striking figures among the early popes. Much of what we know about his early life comes from his rival, Hippolytus, whose account is openly hostile and must be read with care. According to it, Callistus was a slave of a Christian named Carpophorus, lost money entrusted to him in a banking venture, and was later condemned to hard labor in the mines of Sardinia. After his release, Pope St. Zephyrinus ordained him a deacon and put him in charge of the Christian burial ground on the Via Appia, which is still known as the Catacomb of St. Callixtus and became the resting place of many third-century popes. Callistus succeeded Zephyrinus as pope around 217. He upheld the Church's authority to forgive serious sins after sincere repentance and welcomed back sinners, which drew bitter criticism from rigorists like Hippolytus. He also opposed errors about the Trinity. He died around 222, probably in a riot in Rome. According to tradition he was thrown into a well in the Trastevere district, and he has long been honored as a martyr. He was buried on the Via Aurelia, and the Church of San Callisto in Trastevere is associated with his memory.

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