Saint Stephen I

Pope Stephen I (Greek: Στέφανος Α΄ Latin: Stephanus I) was the Bishop of Rome from 12 May 254 to his death on 2 August 257. He was later canonized as a saint and some accounts say he was killed while celebrating Mass. Stephen was born in Rome. According to the most ancient lists of popes, he was the son of Jovius and came from a noble Roman family that had long since converted to Christianity. He served as archdeacon of Pope Lucius I, who appointed Stephen his successor. Following the Decian persecution of 250–251, there was disagreement about how to treat those who had lapsed from the faith. Stephen was urged by Bishop Faustinus of Lyon to take action against Marcian, the Novatianist bishop of Arles, who denied penance and communion to the lapsed who repented. The controversy arose in the context of a broad pastoral problem. During the Decian persecution some Christians had purchased certificates attesting that they had made the requisite sacrifices to the Roman gods. Others had denied they were Christians while yet others had in fact taken part in pagan sacrifices. These people were called in Latin lapsi, the fallen. The question arose as to whether, if they later repented, they could be readmitted to communion with the church, and if so, under what conditions. Stephen held that converts who had been baptized by schismatics did not need re-baptism, while Cyprian and certain bishops of the Roman province of Africa held rebaptism necessary for admission to the Eucharist. Stephen's view eventually won broad acceptance in the Latin Church. He is also mentioned as having insisted on the restoration of the bishops of León and Astorga, who had been deposed for unfaithfulness during the persecution but afterwards had repented.