Bishop
Saint Stephen, Pope of Rome, suffered martyrdom in 257 AD during the reign of Emperor Valerian. He zealously fought against the heresy of Novatus, who taught that those who converted from heretics should not be accepted. While hiding during the persecutions of Christians, the saint baptized many pagans, including the military tribune Nemesius, who converted to Christ after the healing of his daughter Lucilla. Nemesius, ordained as a deacon, and his daughter were beheaded. Their governor, Symphronius, was brought by the tribune Olympius to the temple of Mars for torture, where his prayer melted the golden idol, after which the tribune, along with his wife Exuperia and son Theodulus, believed and were baptized. All of them were burned, and their remains were buried by Saint Pope Stephen.
Also beheaded were 12 clergy: Bon, Faustus, Maurus, Primitive, Calumius, John, Exuperantius, Cyril, Theodore, Basil, Castor, Honoratus, and Tertullian, who was converted by Saint Stephen. Finally, Saint Stephen was brought before Emperor Valerian, who condemned him to be beheaded in the temple of Mars. However, through the saint's prayers, a large part of the temple collapsed, and the soldiers fled. The saint hid in the catacombs, where he was later killed by the soldiers who came while he was instructing the Christians.
