Feast Day: August 6
In the days of fierce persecution under the Emperor Valerian, the Church was purified and strengthened by the blood of her martyrs. Among these stood Saint Xystus II, Pope and Bishop of Rome, a man renowned for his meekness, wisdom, and pastoral zeal.
Xystus II – Supreme Pontiff and Martyr
Xystus (or Sixtus) was elected Pope in the year 257 A.D., succeeding Pope Stephen I during a time of terrible trial. The Church, outlawed and hounded by imperial decree, had retreated into the catacombs—those subterranean sanctuaries where the faithful gathered in secrecy for the Sacraments and the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
Early in his pontificate, Xystus sought peace and unity amid the storm. He reconciled disputes with the Eastern bishops and maintained fidelity to the apostolic traditions. But peace was short-lived. In 258, the Emperor Valerian issued a second edict, commanding that all Christian clergy be executed summarily, and the laity punished by exile and confiscation of property.
On the 6th of August, 258, Pope Xystus II was discovered by Roman authorities while preaching and celebrating the Sacred Mysteries in the Cemetery of Callixtus. He was seized, along with several of his deacons. Refusing to deny Christ or to cease his sacred ministry, he was summarily condemned and beheaded on the very spot where he had offered the Holy Sacrifice.
Felicissimus and Agapitus – Faithful Deacons and Martyrs
Among the deacons who served Pope Xystus, Felicissimus and Agapitus stood out for their loyalty and courage. They were seized with him on that fateful day and shared in his martyrdom. The tradition holds that they ministered to the poor and helped in the administration of the goods of the Church. Their steadfastness in the face of death bore witness to the strength of their faith and their love for the Bride of Christ.
According to the Roman Martyrology, these holy deacons were beheaded immediately after the Pope, bearing testimony to the unity of service and sacrifice between bishop and deacon, shepherd and servant.
Liturgical Commemoration and Veneration
The Church has from ancient times venerated these holy martyrs. The Liturgy on their feast day celebrates their union in martyrdom and their triumph over the enemies of the faith. Their relics were long honored in Rome, and their names were inscribed among the noble army of martyrs.
Saint Xystus is also remembered for his spiritual closeness to Saint Lawrence, his archdeacon, who would himself follow his master in martyrdom just days later. Before his death, Pope Xystus is believed to have comforted Lawrence, foretelling that he would soon come after him and bear a still more glorious witness.
Reflections and Lessons
- Fidelity in Persecution: Saint Xystus and his companions remind us that the Church was born and sustained by the blood of the martyrs. Their courage in adversity calls every Christian to be faithful in the face of trial.
- Union in Hierarchy and Sacrifice: The harmony between Pope and deacons in martyrdom highlights the unity of the Church’s sacred hierarchy and the call to serve unto death.
- Sanctity of the Sacred Liturgy: That they were seized while offering the Holy Sacrifice underscores the centrality and sanctity of the Mass, even (and especially) in times of persecution.
Collect from the Traditional Roman Missal
O God, who dost gladden us with the annual solemnity of Thy holy Martyrs, Pope Xystus and his Companions: mercifully grant that we who rejoice in their merits may be inspired by the example of their lives. Through our Lord Jesus Christ…