Telesphorus was a Greek by birth and the seventh bishop of Rome after Peter. He succeeded Sixtus I and led the Roman Church for about eleven years in the first half of the 2nd century (modern dates are roughly 125–136). He is the first pope after Peter whose martyrdom is attested early: St. Irenaeus (bishop of Lyon, d. c. 202, who listed the early popes) says he 'suffered a glorious martyrdom'. Later tradition credits him with the Christmas midnight Mass and the Gloria, but that is not proven.

Thin entry · the 1914 book gives only 60 words. We have not filled the gap with invented detail.

Saint Telesphorus was by birth a Greek, and was the seventh Bishop of Rome.

St. Telesphorus was the seventh Roman bishop in succession from the Apostles, and, according to the testimony of St. Irenæus (Adv. hæreses, III, iii, 3), suffered a glorious martyrdom. Eusebius [Eusebius of Caesarea (d. c. 339), the first historian of the Church] (Hist. eccl., IV, vii, xiv) places the beginning of his pontificate in the twelfth of Hadrian's reign (128-129), his death in the first year of the reign of Antoninus [Antoninus Pius, Roman emperor 138–161] Pius (138-139). These statements, however, should be compared with Lightfoot, "The Apostolic Fathers", I (London, 1899), 201 sq., section on "Early Roman Successions", and Harnack, "Geschlichte der alchristl. Literatur", pt. II, "Die Chronologie", I (Leipzing, 1879), 70 sq. In the fragment of the letter of Irenæus of Lyons to Pope Victor concerning the celebration of Easter (Euseb., "Hist. eccl.," V, xxiv), Telesphorus is mentioned as one of the Roman bishops who always celebrated Easter on Sunday, without, however, abandoning church fellowship with those communities that did not follow this custom. None of the statements in the "Liber pontificalis" and other authorities of a later date as to liturgical and other decisions of this pope are genuine. In the Roman Martyrology his feast is given under 5 January; the Greek Church celebrates it on 22 February.