Were There Any Greek Popes?

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Were There Any Greek Popes?

St. Sixtus II (r. 31 August 257 – 6 August 258)

St. Sixtus II – also known as Xystus – was likely born in Athens and is remembered as a philosopher-pope and conciliator during one of the Church’s darkest hours. He assumed the papacy during a brief lull in Valerian’s persecutions and sought to heal divisions, particularly those left by his predecessor’s stance on the rebaptism of heretics.

Though described in the “Liber Pontificalis” as a former philosopher, some scholars believe this may be a case of mistaken identity. Still, his intellectual tone and pastoral moderation reflect a thoughtful, peace-seeking leader.

Sixtus’ pontificate lasted less than a year. In August 258, Valerian renewed his persecution, outlawing Christian worship in cemeteries and ordering the execution of clergy. Sixtus was seized while preaching in the Catacombs of St. Callixtus and was executed on the spot with six of his deacons. Four days later, his loyal deacon St. Lawrence was martyred as well.

He is honored in the Roman Canon of the Mass and commemorated on 7 August (Catholic) and 10 August (Orthodox).

St. Zosimus (r. 18 March 417 – 26 December 418)

St. Zosimus, the 41st Bishop of Rome, was born in Mesoraca, Calabria – part of southern Italy’s Greek-speaking heartland. His Hellenic roots tied him to the broader cultural world of early Christendom, which had become the Roman Empire’s official religion under Constantine the Great (r. 306–337), the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity.

Nevertheless, Zosimus’ brief papacy was marked by turbulence. He succeeded Pope Innocent I and quickly faced major controversies, including disputes with Gallic bishops, tensions with the African Church, and the theological storm surrounding Pelagianism – a doctrine denying original sin and emphasizing human free will. Initially sympathetic, Zosimus later condemned the movement under pressure from African bishops and emperor Honorius (r. 393–423).

He also issued disciplinary decrees, including a ban on clergy frequenting taverns and a formal prescription of the maniple vestment for deacons. Known for his combative temperament, he fiercely defended papal authority but struggled with diplomacy.

Zosimus died suddenly in 418 and was buried in the Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls. His feast is commemorated in the Roman Catholic Church on December 26.

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