Pope Hyginus

Pope Hyginus was the eighth Pope of the Catholic Church (the official title is Bishop of Rome). He served around 138142 AD.  Hyginus was a Greek born in Athens.Matthew Bunson, OSV’s Encyclopedia of Catholic History, (Huntington, IN:Our Sunday visitor, 2004), p. 451

He served as Pope during the heretical teachings of the Gnostics. Heresy is a belief or opinion that does not agree with the official belief or opinion of a particular religion.  The Gnostics taught that Yahweh, (the Old Testament name for God) and Jesus Christ were two different Gods. This was against the Catholic Church teachings. Hyginus declared these men, Valentinus and Cerdo, to be heretics.Charles A. Coulombe, Vicars of Christ: A History of the Popes (NY: Citadel Press, 2003), p. 27, 28

Pope Hyginus died a martyr. He was made a Saint by the Catholic Church. His feast day is celebrated on January 11.Richard P. McBrien, Lives of the Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to John Paul II, (San Francisco:Harper San Francisco, 1997), p. 38

 Reference 

Category:Italian popes
Category:Year of death unknown
Category:Year of birth unknown