Record | The Cult of Saints

The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of Xystus/Sixtus I (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00130), tells how he died a martyr and was buried in Rome close to the body of Peter (the Apostle, S00036) on 3 April (or 27 March) [AD 126].

Evidence ID

E00322

Type of Evidence

Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)

Major author/Major anonymous work

Liber Pontificalis

Liber Pontificalis 8

First edition (as reconstructed by Duchesne)

Xystus, natione Romanus, ex patre Pastore, de regione Via Lata, sedit ann. X m. II s. I. Fuit autem temporibus Adriani, usque ad Vero at Anniculo. Martyrio coronatur ... Qui etiam sepultus est iuxta corpus beati Petri in Vaticanum VI non. april.

'Xystus, born in Rome, son of Pastor, from the region Via Lata, held the see 10 years 2 months 1 day. He was bishop in the time of Hadrian to the consulship of Verus and Anniculus [AD 126]. He was crowned with martyrdom. … He was buried close to the blessed Peter’s body on the Vatican on the sixth day before the Nones of April [?].'

Second edition

Xistus, natione Romanus, ex patre Pastore, de regione Via Lata, sedit ann. X m. II d. I. Fuit autem temporibus Adriani, usque ad Vero and Anniculo. Martyrio coronatur ... Qui etiam sepultus est iuxta corpus beati Petri, in Vaticanum, III non. april.'

'Xystus, born in Rome, son of Pastor, from the region Via Lata, held the see 10 years 2 months 1 day. He was bishop in the time of Hadrian to the consulship of Verus and Anniculus [AD 126]. He was crowned with martyrdom. … He was buried close to the blessed Peter’s body on the Vatican on the third day before the Nones of April [3 April].'

Text: Duchesne 1886, 55/57 and 128. Translation: Davis 2010, 4, lightly modified.

Festivals

Saint’s feast

Cult Places

Burial site of a saint - unspecified

Source

The Liber Pontificalis consists of a series of short lives of popes. The preface attributes it to pope Damasus (366-384), but this attribution is obviously false. According to Louis Duchesne, the first modern editor of the Liber Pontificalis, the original series of lives was written in Rome by an anonymous author, probably a member of the lesser clergy, in the 530s, and contained the lives from *Peter the Apostle to Felix IV (ob. 530). Shortly after, before 546, the text was re-edited by another anonymous author and only this edition survives. The first edition, however, can be reconstituted on the basis of its two epitomes (and the second edition). The second edition started to be continued systematically from the time of pope Honorius (625–638). It should be noted that Theodor Mommsen dated both editions of the Liber Pontificalis to the 7th century, but his opinion is widely rejected and the commonly accepted dating is that of Duchesne.

For the pre-Constantinian period (before 312), the credibility of the Liber Pontificalis is very low. The chronology is confused, and details concerning the personal lives, decisions, and ordinations of the bishops of Rome at best reflect what people in the 6th century trusted to be true, at worst are a pure invention of the author. The situation changes with the later lives. Already the information of 4th century papal foundations and offerings are generally trustworthy. The early 6th century evidence, based on the author's first hand knowledge is even better, though still imperfect.

Discussion

Xystus I is one of a number of early popes listed as martyrs by the Liber Pontificalis, for whom there is no other evidence of their martyrdom, nor evidence of their attracting cult. For the claim by the author of the Liber Pontificalis that almost all the early bishops of Rome were buried at the Vatican close to St Peter, see E00265.

The date of Xystus' burial in the first edition of the Liber Pontificalis is obviously mistaken, since the 6th day before the Nones of April does not exist.

Bibliography

Edition:
Duchesne, L., Le Liber pontificalis. 2 vols (Paris: E. Thorin, 1886-1892). (With substantial introduction and commentary.)

Translation:
Davis, R., The Book of Pontiffs (Liber Pontificalis) (Translated Texts for Historians 6; 3rd ed.; Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2010).

Record Created By

Robert Wiśniewski

Date of Entry

02/03/2015

Related Saint Records

ID	Name	Name in Source	Identity
S00130	Xystus/Sixtus I, bishop and martyr of Rome	Xystus	Certain

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Robert Wiśniewski, Cult of Saints, E00322 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E00322

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world

The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of Xystus/Sixtus I (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00130), tells how he died a martyr and was buried in Rome close to the body of Peter (the Apostle, S00036) on 3 April (or 27 March) [AD 126].

E00322

Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)

Liber Pontificalis

Saint’s feast

Burial site of a saint - unspecified

Source

Discussion

Bibliography

Robert Wiśniewski

02/03/2015

The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of *Xystus/Sixtus I (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00130), tells how he died a martyr and was buried in Rome close to the body of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036) on 3 April (or 27 March) [AD 126].

E00322

Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)

Liber Pontificalis

Saint’s feast

Burial site of a saint - unspecified

Source

Discussion

Bibliography

Robert Wiśniewski

02/03/2015

The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of Xystus/Sixtus I (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00130), tells how he died a martyr and was buried in Rome close to the body of Peter (the Apostle, S00036) on 3 April (or 27 March) [AD 126].