Pope Stephen I

Head of Pope Saint Stephen I - Speyer Cathedral - Speyer - Germany 2017

Pope Stephen I served as the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 12 May 254 to his death on 2 August 257. He succeeded Pope Lucius I and was succeeded by Pope Sixtus II. Stephen I's pontificate occurred during a period of significant conflict within the Christian community, particularly regarding the issue of re-baptism of converts from Montanism, a sect deemed heretical by the mainstream Church.

Biography

Stephen was born in Rome, but little is known about his early life before becoming Pope. His election to the papacy in 254 came during a time of theological and political turmoil, with the Roman Empire itself often hostile to Christians. One of the most pressing issues facing Stephen I was the treatment of Christians who had apostatized during periods of persecution but later wished to return to the Church. This issue was particularly contentious with respect to the validity of their baptism by heretical sects.

Papacy

During his papacy, Stephen I was involved in a significant controversy with Cyprian, the Bishop of Carthage, over the matter of re-baptism. Cyprian held that converts from heresy must be re-baptized, as their original baptism was invalid. Stephen I, however, maintained that baptism in the name of the Trinity, even if performed outside the orthodox faith, was valid and that to re-baptize was to question the efficacy of the original sacrament.

This disagreement led to a broader debate within the Church, reflecting the tension between the authority of the papacy and the autonomy of regional bishops. Stephen I's stance was that the Roman See had primacy over the Christian Church, a position that would later be a cornerstone of papal authority but was at the time highly controversial.

Death and Legacy

Pope Stephen I died on 2 August 257 and was buried in the Catacomb of Callixtus among the tombs of the Popes. His time as Pope was marked by his firm stance on the issue of baptism, which had a lasting impact on the Church's sacramental theology. Although the immediate conflict over re-baptism was not fully resolved during his papacy, Stephen I's positions would influence later Church decisions and councils.

Stephen I's defense of the validity of baptism by heretics, under certain conditions, helped to shape the Church's understanding of the sacrament's indelible character and the importance of unity within the Christian community. His papacy is a notable example of the early struggles within the Church to define orthodoxy and authority.

See Also

• List of Popes
• History of the Papacy
• Christianity in the 3rd century