Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman Martyrology, Martyrologium parvum, Usuardus, Ado, the Martyrology of Bede on December 20, on the same clay that of S. Jerome, Hrabanus, and Wandelbert. Authorities: — The ancient catalogue of Roman Pontiffs, Eusebius, and the lately discovered 11 Refutations of Heresies," attributed to S. Hippolytus.] F Zephyrinus, who became Pope in a.d. 202, we have adverse accounts — that of Eusebius, and that contained in the “ Refutations of all Heresies,” attributed to S. Hippolytus, of Porto, and if not by him, by a bishop of the same period of one of the suburban dioceses.

The asceticism, the stem puritanism of the Montanists, attracted the admiration of Pope Victor.1 He acknowledged the inspiration of their prophets, and issued letters of peace in their favour. But at the instigation of Praxeas, a violent opponent of Montanism, lately come from Asia Minor, who represented to him that his conduct was the reverse of that of Anicetus and Soter his predecessors, and who gave him 1 Tertullian, our authority, does not name the Pope. Neatider thinks it was Eleutherius, but the opinion generally admitted and least encumbered with difficulties is that the Pope alluded to was Victor.

an unfavourable report of the Montanist community in Asia Minor, Victor revoked his letters, denied their spiritual gifts, and drove the prophets in disgrace from Rome. Praxeas gradually acquired a predominant influence over the mind of the Pope, and, if we may trust Tertullian, infused into his mind his peculiar Patripassian opinions. But an accusation made by Tertullian under the excitement of disappointment at the failure of the attempt to obtain papal sanction of his cherished doctrine, is not likely to be true.

Monarchianism, or, as it was offensively branded, Patripassianism, became the controversy which raged during the episcopate of Victor, Zephyrinus, and Callixtus. Theodotus, a leather dresser of Byzantium, was the nominal founder of Monarchianism, actually it was long latent Ebionism taking emphatic expression in the assertion of Monotheism against Trinitarianism. The Monarchians could not admit the triple personality; the designation of Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost belonged to aspects of the one Divinity. God revealed Himself to the Jews as the Father, in humanity as the Son to the world, breathed in the Church as the Holy Spirit. There were many shades of Monarchianism, as men endeavoured to reconcile the idea of the Trinity with that of the unity of the Godhead, without admitting the individual personality of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Zephyrinus, whom the author of the “ Refutation of all Heresies’' represents as an unlearned man, ignorant of the language and definitions of the Church, through his long pontificate wavered to and fro, in dreamy uncertainty about the points of contest. Hippolytus — if he were the author of the “ Refutation "—says he was avaricious, venal, or unsettled principles: not holding the balance between conflicting opinions, but embracing adverse tenets with S. Zephyrinus.

all the zeal of which a rude, untaught, and withal an irresolute mind was capable. He was now a disciple of Cleomenes, the successor of Noetus, and teacher of Noetianism in Rome, holding extreme Patripassian views; now of Sabellius, who, become bold, had matured his scheme, which was odious to both contending parties alike. Zephyrinus was entirely governed by the runaway slave and escaped convict, Callixtus; and thus constantly driven back, by his fears or confusion of mind, to opposite tenets, and involved in the most glaring contradictions. At one time he publicly used the startling words, “ I acknowledge one God, Jesus Christ, and none beside Him, that was born and suffered and at another he refuted himself, “ It was not the Father that died, but the Son.”

We shall probably arrive at the truth in estimating the character and capacities of Zephyrinus, if we admit with the author of the “ Refutation ” that he was an ill-educated man, of no fixed opinions, no theological or philosophical training, nor natural capability of grasping abstruse questions in theology. With all this he had the wish to believe what was orthodox, and his mind was swayed by various advisers in different and adverse directions. The author of the “Refutation of all Heresies” headed the orthodox party in Rome, and in his irritation and disappointment at the vacillation of the Pope, used stronger language in particularizing his character than he was justified in doing. That Zephyrinus was avaricious and venal, are probably unjust charges.

There is no evidence that Zephyrinus was a martyr. SS. ABUNDIUS AND IREN^US, MM. [The ancient Roman Martyrology, Ado, Usuardus [a 9th-century monk of Paris who compiled a list of saints for each day], Wandelbert, Bede [English monk and historian (d. 735)], and Modern Roman Martyrology. Authority: — The Acts, which have the appearance of being perfectly trustworthy. These have been inserted, along with several others, to amplify the Acts of S. Laurence in their late form.] came a soldier named Porphyry to the keeper of the sewer, and asked him if he were disposed to keep a secret, and share in the profits. The keeper of the sewer, who was called Irenseus, and was a Christian, asked what the secret was. Porphyry then told him that after the execution of the Christian, Concordia, her body had been cast into the great sewer through a certain opening, and that he expected, as she was a woman of some fortune, that there would be jewels on her dress. He wished therefore by night to examine the corpse. Irenseus agreed, and the two sought the body in the sewer, found it, but could not discover any jewels on it. So Porphyry went grumbling away. Now Irenseus went to the priest Justin, and told him what he had heard, and a devout Christian named Abundius offered to go with Irenseus to remove the sacred body and bury it. The two men did so, but were observed and reported to the prefect of Rome, who ordered both to be plunged in the filth of the sewer and suffocated in it. They suffered on August 26th. Afterwards Justin succeeded in recovering their bodies, and he buried them near that of S. Laurence in the catacomb of Veranus.

s. ALEXANDER, M. [Roman Martyrology. Venerated with octave as a double at Bergamo. Ado, Usuardus, &c. Authority: — The Acts, late and untrustworthy.] S. Alexander and S. Secundus, both of whom are venerated on this day, are said to have been soldiers in the Theban legion under S. Maurice. Alexander was standardbearer, according to one version of the Acts, according to another, head-centurion. Secundus was commander or general, and was executed before S. Maurice. No great reliance can be placed on the acts of either of these martyrs. The body of S. Alexander was probably brought from Agaunum, the modem S. Maurice in the Valais, but the Bergamese prefer to believe that he suffered martyrdom near their city at a place called Plotacco. Alexander, being known to be a Christian, was brought before Maximian [Diocletian’s co-emperor in the West, 286–305] at Rome. A long and tedious discussion between them is given by the late author of the Acts, out of his own head. A soldier was ordered to hew off the head of the saint, but became motionless 3 Alexander was then led back to prison. He escaped by night and took refuge at Bergamo, but was discovered and dragged before an idol of Plotatius,1 and executed with the sword. A pious Christian matron named Grata took up his body and buried it in her farm.2 A large picture in the National Gallery by Romanino represents this young soldier.

1 The idol Plotatius was a statue or pillar erected by Crotacius, a favourite general of the Emperor Probus, in or about A.D. 270, on his native farm. Plotatius is a corruption of Crotacius.