Etienne Ier (pope)

Etienne Ier is the 23e Pape of the Catholic church and succeeds Lucius I {{er}} the May 12th 254. Its pontificate, which lasts until the August 2nd 257, fits between two waves of persecutions but undergoes an internal crisis with the particularly serious Church and carries out this one at the edge of the rupture with the Church of the East and that of Africa. As its two Etienne predecessors is favorable to the rehabilitation of the Christians apostates under persecutions of Dèce and repented since. But the problem also arises for the clerks. They had the duty to give the example, including in the martyr, and Etienne refuses to reinstate two bishops of Spain who had escaped with persecution by producing certificates attesting that they had sacrificed to the pagan gods. He makes in the same way towards the bishop of Arles, which since, in a total inconsistency, had passed to the Novatien S.

Etienne requires totality of the Christian Churches which they conform to the Roman tradition with regard to the baptism of the heretics, the schismatics and the Christians apostates, namely a simple laying on of hands of the bishop, the confirmation, since they are people who in the past were already baptized. But the Churches of the East and Africa require a new baptism. Etienne is an authoritative character and it accepts this independence badly. A conflict begins with Cyprien, the bishop of Carthage, threatened by Etienne Ier of excommunication. Cyprien receives the support of the Churches of minor Asia, Syria and Cappadoce. Alarmed the patriarch of Alexandria, Denys, plays the mediators but in vain. It is the death of Cyprien, then that of Etienne the August 2nd 257 which puts an end to this quarrel and avoids the rupture.

It is buried in the Crypte of the Popes of the Catacombe of Saint-Calixte although its Tomb stone was never found.

It is celebrated the August 2nd.

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