Pope Pontian

Pontian
Birth name	Pontianus
Papacy began	21 July 230
Papacy ended	29 September 235
Predecessor	Urban I
Successor	Anterus
Born	??? ???
Died	29 September 235 Sardinia, Italy

Pope Saint Pontian or Pontianus, was pope from 21 July 21, 230 to September 29, 235. He was the first pope to abdicate the office. He is best known, however, for his death in exile together with his adversary, the anti-pope Hippolytus, who along with Pointian was later declared both saint and martyr.

Pontian and other Christian leaders, among them Hippolytus, were exiled by the emperor Maximinus Thrax to Sardinia. Rather then leave the office of bishop or Rome unattended, he Pontian resigned in September 235, dying either there of the island of Tavolara, probably as a result of being forced to do hard labor.

His remains were brought to Rome by Pope Fabian and buried in the Catacomb of Pope Callixtus I. His epitaph was rediscovered in 1909 in the crypt of Saint Cecilia, reading PONTIANOS, EPISK. ("Pontianus, bishop"). The inscription "MARTUR" ("martyr") had been added in another hand.

His feast day was November 19, but he is now celebrated jointly with his erstwhile former adversary and rival Saint Hippolytus, on August 13.

Biography

According to the Liber Pontificalis Pontian was born in Rome, and his father was named Calpurnius. The Liberian Catalogue of the popes is able to add several specific details not available in the biographies of earlier bishops of Rome. According to this account Pontian was made pope July 21, 230 and reigned until 235.

The most notable known feature of his episcopacy was the continuing schism of Hippolytus, the first anti-pope and later saint. Hippolytus had disagreed with two earlier popes, Zephyrinus and Callixtus I over their toleration of Sabellianism, a trinitarian doctrine which declined to recognize distinct "persons" in the Trinity, seeing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit more as operational modes of the one God. Hippolytus especially blamed Zephyrinus' deacon Callixtus for this policy. When Callixtus then succeeded Zephyrinus and pope, Hyppolytus denounced him as a heretic—both for his trinitarian views and for his policy of forgiving sinners guilty of serious crimes like adultery—and formed a rival congregation, becoming the first anti-pope. His reign in opposition to Callixtus lasted through the succeeding pontificates of Urban I (222–230) well into that of Pontian (230–235).

Scholars are divided as to when Hippolytus was reconciled with the Roman church. Catholic traditional holds that near the end of Pontian's term, Hippolytus and his schismatic group found accord with Pontian and were accepted back into the church. However, it is also possible that the schism persisted until both the pope and the anti-pope were exiled, with the two congregations uniting once the schismatic party's leader was out of the picture.

It was also during Pontian's episcopacy that a Roman synod condemned certain teachings of the great African Christian writer Origen. It is likely that Pontian presided at this council, which, according to Jerome (Epist. 32.iv) and Rufinus (Apol. contra Hieron., II.xx), upheld the decisions of an Alexandrian synod against Origen in 231-2).

In 235 in the reign of Maximinus the Thracian began a persecution directed chiefly against the heads of the Church. 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, Pontian resigned 28 Sept., 235, the Liberian Catalogue says "discinctus est". Consequently Anteros was elected in his stead. 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 Acts of martyrs, used by the author of the "Liber Pontificalis", he died in consequence of the privations and inhuman treatment he had to bear. Pope Fabian (236-50) had the remains of Pontian and Hippolytus brought to Rome at a later date and Pontian was buried on 13 August in the papal crypt of the Catacomb of Callistus. In 1909 the original epitaph was found in the crypt of St. Cecilia, near the papal crypt. The epitaph, agreeing with the other known epitaphs of the papal crypt, reads: PONTIANOS, EPISK. MARTUR (Pontianus, Bishop, Martyr). The word mártur was added later and is written in ligature [cf. Wilpert, "Die Papstgräber und die Cäciliengruft in der Katakombe des hl. Kalixtus" (Freiburg, 1909), 1 sq., 17 sq., Plate III]. He is placed under 13 Aug. in the list of the "Depositiones martyrum" in the chronographia of 354. TheRoman Martyrology gives his feast on 19 Nov.

It is unknown how long he lived in exile: according to Liber Pontificalis he died due to the inhuman treatment he received in the Sardinian mines. According to tradition, he died on the island of Tavolara.

Roman Catholic Popes
Preceded by: Urban I	Bishop of Rome Pope 230–235	Succeeded by: Anterus

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• "Pope St. Pontian" in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia.

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

• Pope Pontian  ^history

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

• History of "Pope Pontian"

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.