St. Hyginus, Pope/Martyr

Pope Hyginus (died c. 142) was the Bishop of Rome from c. 138 to c. 142. Tradition holds that during his papacy he determined the various prerogatives of the clergy and defined the grades of the ecclesiastical hierarchy.   Hyginus also started the practice of including godparents at baptism to assist the newly born during his/her Christian life

He also decreed that all churches be consecrated. He is said to have died a martyr, though no records verify this. The chronology of the early bishops of Rome cannot be determined with any degree of exactitude today.

 

He was placed in the chair of St. Peter after the martyrdom of St. Telesphorus, in the year 139. Eusebius informs us, that he sat four years. The church then enjoyed some sort of calm, under the mild reign of the emperor Antoninus Pius; though several martyrs suffered in his time by the fury of the populace, or the cruelty of certain magistrates. The emperor himself never consented to such proceedings; and when informed of them by the governors of Asia, Athens, Thessalonica, and Larissea, he wrote to them in favour of the Christians, as is recorded by Sts. Justin and Eusebius.

As is typical of the Roman Church in the mid second century, Hyginus was more likely one of a number of presbyters as opposed to a stand-alone governor. The dates are unsure, but he was in charge from the time of Telesphorus’ martyrdom in the first year of Emperor Antonius Pius’ reign and, according to Eusebius, in his “Ecclesiastical History”, as well as Ireneus’ listings, he remained in that position for four years.

It appears that Hyginus was from Athens, his name meaning wholesome or healthy. How old he was when he came to Rome is unknown. He is said to have been a philosopher, although that cannot be verified. But, a knowledge of philosophy was exactly what was needed by the Church by that time.

Gnosticism was invading Rome. The appearance of these non-orthodox preachers does indicate that the city was becoming a center of thought for the new Church, although Asia Minor was still predominant. 

According to the Liber Pontificalis, Hyginus was a Greek by birth. Irenaeus says that the Gnostic Valentinus came to Rome in Hyginus's time, remaining there until Anicetus became pontiff (Against Heresies, III, iii). Cerdo, another Gnostic and predecessor of Marcion, also lived at Rome in the reign of Hyginus; by confessing his errors and recanting, he succeeded in obtaining readmission into the Church but eventually fell back into the heresies and was expelled from the Church.

The Liber Pontificalis also relates that this pope organized the hierarchy and established the order of ecclesiastical precedence (Hic clerum composuit et distribuit gradus).

The ancient sources contain no information as to his having died a martyr. At his death he was buried on the Vatican Hill, near the tomb of St. Peter

 

PRAYER:

O eternal Shepherd, watch over the peace of Thy flock, and through blessed Hyginus, Thy Martyr and Sovereign Pontiff, whom thou didst appoint shepherd over the whole Church, keep her under Thy constant protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.   Amen.

(Roman Breviary)


The Church makes commemoration, today, of the holy Pope and Martyr Hyginus. He held the Apostolic Chair under the reign of Antoninus, and closed his four-years Pontificate by martyrdom. We have no history of his life, but we venerate in him one of the links of that grand chain of Pontiffs, which unites us, by St. Peter, to our Lord Jesus Christ. The whole weight of the government of the Church was upon his shoulders, and he was courageous and faithful in the discharge of his duties; his reign was during the age of Persecution, when to be Pope was to be a victim of tortures and death. As we have already said, he soon won his Palm, and was associated in heaven with the three Magi, who had, before leaving this world, preached the gospel in Greece, the country of our Saint. Let us ask him to bless the offerings we are making to the Divine Infant of Bethlehem, and to pray for us, that we may obey this sweet King, who asks us to give Him, not our blood by martyrdom, but our hearts by charity.