Saint Zephyrinus

"S. Zephyrini Papæ et Martyris" refers to Saint Zephyrinus, who was a Pope and is venerated as a martyr in the Catholic Church.

He served as the Bishop of Rome from 199 to 217. His feast day is celebrated on August 26. The phrase "S. Zephyrini Papæ et Martyris" is often seen in liturgical texts, such as the Missale Romanum, indicating a Mass or liturgical celebration in his honor.

His papacy was marked by significant doctrinal controversies and schisms. Despite these challenges, he is remembered for his leadership and commitment to the Church.

He was born in Rome and succeeded Pope Victor I. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his principal advisor, Callixtus I. He is known for defending the divinity of Christ.

Zephyrinus was of humble birth and is believed to have appointed his own successor, St. Callixtus I, as his chief deacon. During his pontificate, the Roman priest St. Hippolytus opposed the spread of Monarchianism, a Trinitarian heresy that affirmed the sole deity of God the Father. Zephyrinus did not condemn Monarchianism or favor the Logos doctrine (emphasizing the distinction of the persons of the Trinity), which Hippolytus championed. This led Hippolytus to start the first schism in the history of the Christian church.

The primary source of information on Zephyrinus is Hippolytus's Philosophoumena, in which he describes the pope as a weak man "unskilled in the church's rule" and dominated by Callixtus. Hippolytus considered both men culpable for being unwilling to enter the theological debate on the Trinity.

Zephyrinus died during the persecution of Christians that was instigated by the Roman emperor Lucius Septimius Severus. Despite the controversies and challenges during his papacy, he is remembered for his leadership and commitment to the Church.

(1) Pope Zephyrinus - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Zephyrinus.

(2) Saint Zephyrinus | Biography, Papacy, Feast Day, & Facts. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Zephyrinus.

(3) Saint Zephyrinus | Biography, Papacy, Feast Day, & Facts. https://bing.com/search?q=Saint+Zephyrinus+biography.

(4) Pope Zephyrinus - New World Encyclopedia. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Pope_Zephyrinus.

(5) Zephyrinus - Wace's Dictionary of Early Christian Biography. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hwd/z/zephyrinus.html.

(6) Missale Romanum 1957 - S. LUDOVICI. https://www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/bu1.htm.

(7) Ordo: Augustus 2024 - Divinum Officium. https://www.divinumofficium.com/cgi-bin/horas/kalendar.pl.