Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman, Carthaginian, and all Latin Martyrologies. By the Greeks on Aug. 10. Authorities: — The letters of Dionysius of Alexandria, Eusebius, Prudentius, and the Acts of his Martyrdom, which are not, however, genuine; they represent Valerian as in Rome when he was engaged in the Persian war, and Decius as being emperor, whereas he died six years before.] Sixtus, or, more properly, Xystus, an Athenian, succeeded Pope Stephen on the throne of S. Peter, in the midst of the controversy on heretical baptisms. The first part of the pontificate of Sixtus seems to have been tranquil; and Pontius, the biographer of S. Cyprian, speaks of him as a good and pacific prelate; expressions which were perhaps used in allusion to the unconciliating conduct of his predecessor Stephen, who had excommunicated S. Cyprian for affirming that the baptisms of heretics were invalid.

Dionysius of Alexandria wrote letters to S. Sixtus on the disputed subject, marked by a tone of moderation, and a desire for peace and the truth. With respect to his own practice, he mentioned that he did not baptize persons who returned to the Church, after having once belonged to it, and having fallen into heresy; and he stated that he had received this custom from his predecessor Heracles. He also wrote to Sixtus, asking for his advice in the case of a man who had been a member of the Alexandrian Church for above twenty years, but who was now suffering great scruples because he had not been baptized according to the forms of the Catholic Church. He was very desirous to be baptized over again, but Dionysius declined doing it, in consideration of his having held the true faith for so many years, and having so often partaken of the Eucharist. It will be observed that neither of these cases bears directly upon the question at issue between the Churches of Rome and Carthage. That question was whether a man, who was known to have been baptized by heretics, and who wished to come over to the Church, was to be baptized before his admission; but in the first of the two cases mentioned by Dionysius, baptism had once been really and validly administered in the Church; and in the second case, a man had for many years held communion with the Church without it having been known that he had been baptized by heretics. The answers of S. Sixtus to these letters have, unfortunately, not been preserved.

S. Sixtus II. Persecution broke out in Rome in the summer of 258, on the receipt of an order from Valerian [Roman emperor 253–260, who persecuted bishops and clergy], then marching against the Persians. The terms of this order were, that the bishops, priests, and deacons should be punished with death; but that senators, and men of rank, and knights should be degraded and lose their property, and if they still persisted in being Christians they were to suffer capitally. Women were to lose their property, and be sent into banishment. If any persons connected with the imperial household had confessed before, or should confess now, that they were Christians, they were to have their property confiscated, and to be sent abroad as prisoners.1 Such was the purport of this sanguinary edict, and the magistrates of Rome showed no reluctance to execute it. Confiscations and death were very frequent; and Sixtus, with two of his deacons, Felicissimus and Agapitus, were arrested. As the aged pontiff was being led to the Mamertine prison, his archdeacon, Laurence, cried to him, “ 0 my father ! whither goest thou without thy son? Why, O holy priest, goest thou, without thy deacon?” Sixtus turned to him and said “ Weep not, my son ! after three days shalt thou follow me.” According to the Acts, Sixtus and his two deacons were decapitated, and Sixtus buried in the cemetery of S. Calixtus; but according to a hymn of Prudentius, he was crucified. The Acts are most probably right, though we have not got them in anything like their original condition, and they are not altogether trustworthy. Felicissimus and Agapitus were laid in the cemetery of Prastextatus.