Pope Pius I

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Pius I
Birth name Pius
Papacy began 140
Papacy ended 154
Predecessor Hyginus
Successor Anicetus
Born  ???
Aquileia, Italy
Died 154
Rome, Italy
Other Popes named Pius
Styles of
Pope Pius I
Reference style His Holiness
Spoken style Your Holiness
Religious style Holy Father
Posthumous style Saint

Pope Pius I was pope, perhaps from 140 to 154, though the Vatican's 2003 Annuario Pontificio lists 142 or 146 to 157 or 161. He is believed to have been born at Aquileia, in northern Italy, his father being one "Rufinus," who is said also to be of Aquileia according to the Liber Pontificalis.[1] He is said to have built one of the oldest chuches in Rome, Santa Pudenziana. Some conjecture that he was a martyr in Rome, and he is celebrated as such in the Breviary. Nevertheless, there is little other evidence that supports such a conclusion.

It is stated in the 2nd century Muratorian Canon,[2] and in the Liberian Catalogue,[3] that he was the brother of Hermas, author of the text The Shepherd of Hermas. The writer of the later text identifies himself as a former slave. This has led to speculation that both Hermas and Pius were freedmen."

His feast day is July 11.

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Ed. Duchesne, I, 132.
  2. ^ Ed. Preuschen, Analecta, 1, Tubingen, 1910.
  3. ^ Ed. Duchesne, Liber Pontificalis, I, 5.



Preceded by
Hyginus
Pope
140–154
Succeeded by
Anicetus