Pontian, pope and martyr - August 13th
St Pontian (d. 235, Sardinia, Italy)
In 235 both St Pontian and St Hippolytus were banished to the salt mines of Sardinia. At some point after their deaths their remains were returned to Rome. St Pontian was buried in the Catacombs of San Callisto as noted below and St Hippolytus was buried on the Via Tiburtina.
Places of Honor in Rome
Catacombs of San Callisto
Via Appia Antica 110/126
Rome, Italy
*These catacombs are located south of the Aurelian Walls.
*St Pontian, St Fabian (d. 250), St Cornelius (d. 253), St Sixtus II (d. 258), and a number of other early popes were originally buried here. The remains of St Fabian were later moved to San Sebastiano Fuori Le Mura, the remains of St Cornelius to Santa Maria in Trastevere, and the remains of St Sixtus II to San Sisto Vecchio.
*It was also at this location in the year 258 that Roman soldiers burst into a chapel and arrested St Sixtus II and four other deacons while they were celebrating the liturgy. St Lawrence (d. 258) was not present for this arrest; however, a legend holds that St Lawrence was able to speak to St Sixtus just before the pope was martyred. In this conversation St Sixtus prophetically stated, “You shall follow me in three days.” St Lawrence then in three days went on to suffer his own martyrdom by being burnt alive on a gridiron.
