Sixtus Di Roma

Born [date unknown] in Rome, Western Roman Empire

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Biography

Pope St Sixtus III Di Roma is Notable.

Sixtus was born in Rome and was prominent among the Roman clergy, frequently corresponding with Augustine of Hippo.^[1]

He was consecrated pope on 31 July 432.^[2][1]

His name is often connected with a great building boom in Rome: Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill was dedicated during his pontificate. He built the Liberian Basilica as Santa Maria Maggiore, whose dedication to Mary the Mother of God reflected his acceptance of the Ecumenical council of Ephesus which closed in 431. At that council, the debate over Christ's human and divine natures turned on whether Mary could legitimately be called the "Mother of God" or only "Mother of Christ". The council gave her the Greek title Theotokos (literally "God-bearer", or "Mother of God"), and the dedication of the large church in Rome is a response to that.^[1]

He died on 18 August 440.^[2][1]

Flocknote Popes in a Year ^[3] tells us:

St. Sixtus III was elected pope on July 31, 432, after being prominent among his fellow clergymen in Rome for many years. Sixtus apparently corresponded regularly with St. Augustine, with the latter writing to Sixtus multiple times – first worried that Sixtus sided with the Pelagian heresy, then being relieved at Sixtus’ orthodoxy and instructing him on how best to deal with the pesky heretics. This valuable education extended into Sixtus’ papacy, helping him deal with many of those same issues. Sixtus III died on August 18, 440 and his feast day is celebrated March 28.

To Sixtus III we can credit many valuable restorations of some of Rome’s key churches. He undertook restorations to the basilicas of St. Lawrence and St. Paul, as well as the catacomb of St. Callixtus – which, you’ll remember, was the burial place of many early popes.

However, his most prominent was the restoration of the Liberian Basilica, the one which later became known as the Basilica of St. Mary Major. His beautification of that particular church was a physical representation of his support for Mary being known as Theotokos (“God-bearer”), a belief that was affirmed just before his papacy, in 431 at the Council of Ephesus.

St. Sixtus was the first pope to have a name shared by two of his predecessors and bear the suffix “The Third.” Oddly enough, however, the next “Sixtus” wouldn’t come around for more than 1,000 years.

In 434, Attila the Hun consolidated his power near what is now Budapest, Hungary in order to more efficiently rule his empire.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Wikipedia
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Vatican
3. ↑ Flocknote Popes in a Year
   SOURCES (and further reading)
   John, E. (1964). The Popes: A concise biographical history. New York: Hawthorn Books.
   Pope St. Sixtus III - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14032a.htm
   Zuhlsdorf, J - “St. Pope Sixtus III: fascinating correspondence with Augustine” - LINK
   Pope Sixtus III - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Sixtus_III
   430s - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/430s