Saint Callistus I

“In the time o f the Emperor Alexander Sev l'empereur Alexandre Sévère Roman emperor under whom Pontian began his pontificate and was exiled. erus, the part of the Capitol facing south had been burned by fire from heaven, and the left hand of the golden statue of Jupiter, which was in a temple dedicated to his honor, had detached itself and melted in the fire: the haruspices and the priests came to find the emperor, or rather, according to the remark of Cardinal Baronius, one of those famous jurisconsults, a sworn enemy of Christianity, to whom he had given the sovereign government of the city, to beg him to order public sacrifices in order to appease the anger of the gods. But the following Thursday, a day consecrated to the worship of the same Jupiter, while they were busy with this ceremony early in the morning, a furious storm suddenly arose, although the air had previously been very serene; four priests of the idols were struck by lightning, and the altar of this false god was reduced to powder. Finally, there was a day when the immense city was covered by a fog so thick and so black that the people went out in crowds to seek air and light in the Roman countryside. A group of these fugitives, having reached the height of the temple of the Urberavennates, on the other bank of the Tiber, heard the Christian psalmody whose chants escaped from the Christian cœnaculum consecrated by Saint Callistus, who, at that moment, assisted by his clergy, was presiding over the assembly of the faithful. The amazed crowd soon gathered in this place.

“Palmatius, a consular man, was among these fugitives. He immediately imagined that the misfortunes that had just occurred had been caused only by the enchantments of these Christians; and, in this belief, he came to the praetorium to report what he had discovered. ‘The disasters with which the wrath of the gods overwhelms us,’ he said, ‘are only too justified by the crimes that defile our city. It is time to purify Rome.’ — ‘Let it be purified,’ replied the praetor. ‘But what is it about?’ — ‘The Christians who profane our great city.’ — ‘I have already prescribed many times,’ said the praetor, ‘to punish them severely if they refuse to sacrifice to the gods.’ — ‘Well then!’ replied Palmatius, ‘at this moment when mourning has spread over the city, I have just heard a multitude of Christians singing their sacrilegious hymns and indulging in their incantations, in the Transtiberine region.’ — ‘Go,’ said the praetor, ‘I give you full power to compel these rebels to sacrifice to the gods.’ — Palmatius took some soldiers and returned to the region of the Urberavennates. By his order, ten soldiers went up to the cœnaculum, where the assembly of the faithful was gathered, under the presidency of Callistus. Having reached the vestibule, where an old man, the priest Calepodius, was, these ten sol le prêtre Calépode Priest and martyr, companion of Callixtus. diers were suddenly struck with blindness, and they cried out: ‘Bring us torches: in this darkness it is impossible for us to see anything!’ The priest Calepodius said to them: ‘It is the God who sees all who must have struck you with blindness!’ The soldiers went down groping.”

“Palmatius, seeing them return in this state, was seized with terror. He returned to the tribunal. The praetor wanted the soldiers brought to him; he observed their blindness and cried out before the whole crowd: ‘Citizens! You have proof of the wicked sorcery of this impious sect!’ At the same time, at the urging of Palmatius, he prescribed an expiatory sacrifice to Mercury for the following day. Palmatius, with his whole family, was at the Capitol the next day; he brought calves and pigs that were to be sacrificed to the god. The people were crowding around the altar and the ceremonies were about to begin, when a vestal named Juliana, suddenly seized by the demon, cried out: ‘The God of Callistus is the living and true God! Your impious acts draw his wrath upon you. He will destroy your empire, because you refuse to worship him.’ This word penetrated the heart of Palmatius like a ray of light. He did not share the praetor's sentiment regarding the alleged sorcery of the Christians, and the sudden prodigy he had witnessed the day before had already strongly shaken him. In this state of mind, he left the Capitol. Heading toward the Transtiberine region of the Urberavennates, he entered alone into the coenaculum where the Christians were gathered, and came to prostrate himself at the feet of Callistus. ‘I recognize,’ he said to him, ‘that Jesus Christ is the only true God. The demons have just proclaimed it in my presence. I implore you, therefore, deliver me from the servitude of the demons I have worshipped until now. You preach a baptism, baptize me.’ Bishop Callistus replied: ‘Do not toy with the truth in such a way, through a sacrilegious imposture.’ — ‘Lord,’ cried Palmatius, ‘I am not deceiving you. I was leading the soldiers struck yesterday with sudden and complete blindness; I have just heard Juliana, the vestal, today. These two prodigies have converted me to the faith of Christ, your God and mine.’ The priest Calepodius then said to the bishop: ‘Blessed Father, do not refuse the grace of baptism to this man who implores it.’ The bishop acceded to his request.

Calepodius then took charge of instructing the neophyte. Palmatiu Palmatius Consular man converted by Callixtus following miracles. s spent that day in fasting and prayer. The next day, they filled the basin used for baptism with water from a well that was in that house. Callistus blessed it, and when Palmatius was brought near the pool, the bishop asked him: ‘Do you believe with all your heart in God, the Father almighty, creator of things visible and things invisible?’ — ‘I do believe,’ answered Palmatius. — ‘Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his Son?’ — ‘I do believe.’ — ‘Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, in the Catholic Church, in the remission of sins, and in the resurrection of the flesh?’ — At this moment Palmatius burst into tears, and, with a voice broken by sobs, he cried out: ‘I believe, Lord! I believe! The Lord Jesus Christ, the true light, has just appeared to me. I have seen him; he has illuminated my soul!’ — Callistus then baptized him, his wife, his children, and his entire household, which consisted of forty-two people of both sexes. From that day on, Palmatius thought only of providing for the indigence of the poor Christians with his wealth. He traveled through the various regions of the city and the crypts of the catacombs, in search of the brothers held in prison, or hidden in the underground passages, and provided them with clothing and food.”

A month later, the praetor was informed that Palmatius, having become a Christian, was spreading the new faith. An order was given for his arrest. The tribune Torquatus seized him and led him to the Mamertine prison, from where, on the third day, he was brought in chains to the tribunal. The praetor, upon seeing him, had his chains removed. "Palmatius," he said to him, "have you gone mad? Is it true that you have abandoned the worship of the gods to adore a crucified man?" Palmatius did not answer this challenge. After a few moments of silence, the praetor added: "Speak with full confidence, you have nothing to fear." "Since you give me this assurance," said Palmatius, "I will tell the truth." "With the exception of insults against the gods," the praetor replied, "you may say anything." "Excellent magistrate," said Palmatius then, "if you wish to reflect upon it, you will see that these gods of whom you speak are of human manufacture. Whom should we adore? Judge for yourself if the work of a mortal hand can ever be a divinity; I appeal to your enlightened knowledge. Command one of your gods to speak and answer me when I question it; if it answers me, I pledge to serve it." "But yet," said the praetor, "you worshipped them since your childhood; why have you abandoned them?" "I was truly blind," replied Palmatius; "now that the truth has manifested itself to my soul, I beg Jesus Christ, my God, to forgive the error of my ignorance." The praetor smiled at these words, and, addressing the senator Simplicius, he said to him: "Take Palmatius away: his madness is harmless; calm his mind with your wise conversations; restore him to the respect of the gods. The Republic needs men like him." The prisoner was then dressed in clothes suitable to his rank; Simplicius led him to his home and instructed his wife and his stewards to treat him with the greatest regard.

Palmatius took advantage of his host's kindness only to devote himself exclusively to fasting and prayer. He did not cease to beg with tears the almighty Father and Jesus Christ his Son to accept his penance in atonement for his past errors. One day, a catechumen named Felix, whose wife had been paralyzed for four years, came to throw himself at the feet of Palmatius. "Confessor of the faith," he said to him, "pray for your servant Blanda, my wife; obtain that she may rise from her bed of pain to come with me to receive baptism. For a long time, she has been afflicted with a paralysis that deprives her of all movement; and our resources have been exhausted without success during this cruel infirmity." Now, the senator's wife was present at this conversation. Palmatius, without answering, prostrated himself on the ground, and, weeping, prayed thus: "Lord my God, you who have deigned to enlighten my soul with a ray of your grace, manifest at this moment the eternal glory of Jesus Christ, your Son. Heal Blanda, your servant; snatch her from her bed of pain, so that all may recognize that you are truly the Creator of the universe!" A few moments later, Blanda was seen running up; she was healed, and, addressing the confessor: "The Lord Jesus Christ," she said to him, "has taken me by the hand and healed me. Baptize me in his name!" Palmatius sent for the bishop Callistus, who came and baptized Blanda and her husband Felix. The senator Simplicius, witness to these wonders, threw himself at the feet of Callistus and asked him to admit him and his whole hous ehold to t Simplicius Roman senator converted after the healing of Blanda. he grace of baptism. "Let it be done so," replied the bishop, "and may the Lord fill the measure of his harvest in his granaries!" Callistus therefore catechized Simplicius and his whole family. Together they received baptism, to the number of sixty-eight persons of both sexes. The priest Calepodius, in his joy, said: "Glory to you, Jesus Christ Our Lord, who deign to illuminate your creatures in this way and snatch them from the empire of error!" However, the prefect of the praetorium, upon this news, had the newly baptized arrested and condemned them to perish by the sword. They all underwent the torture, and their heads were exposed at the various gates of Rome, in the hope that this example of rigor would stop the propagation of the Christian faith.

The blessed Calepodius, having been arrested himself, also had his head severed on the day of the Kalends of May (May 1, 222): his body was dragged by the populace through the streets of the city, and then thrown into the Tiber, opposite t he islan Calliste Pope and martyr, successor of Zephyrinus. d of Lycaon. Callistus had taken refuge with ten of his clerics in the house of Pontianus. From this retreat, he solicited some fishermen and obtained from them that they would search for the body of Calepodius. The fishermen explored the river, discovered the precious remains, and brought them back to the blessed bishop. He received this treasure with holy joy. The body of the martyr was covered with aromatics and wrapped in linens. To the chanting of sacred hymns, Callistus laid it to rest, on the sixth of the Ides of May (May 10, 222), in the catacomb that still bears the name of Calepodius today. Meanwhile, the praetorian prefect was actively searching for Bishop Callistus. He was informed that he was in the house of Pontianus, on the other bank of the Tiber, in the Urberavennates quarter. He secretly had the house surrounded by soldiers, with orders not to allow any kind of food to enter. For four days, Callistus remained entirely deprived of food; but fasting and prayer gave him new strength. The praetorian prefect, then redoubling his cruelty, gave the order that each morning the prisoner should be struck with clubs, and he enjoined that anyone who tried to enter the house during the night should be put to death. Now, one night, the blessed Calepodius appeared to Callistus and said to him: Father, take courage, the hour of reward is approaching; your crown will be proportionate to your sufferings. Meanwhile, the bishop, always in prayer, did not cease to address his supplications to the Lord. Among the soldiers who kept watch over him, there was one named Pr Privatus Soldier healed of an ulcer and baptized by Callixtus before his martyrdom. ivatus, who was suffering cruelly from an ulcer. He came to prostrate himself at the feet of the holy bishop, saying: Heal me! Your God who restored health to a paralytic can well make the ulcers that devour me disappear. My son, answered Callistus, if you believe with all your heart in Jesus Christ, and are baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, you will be healed. I believe, said Privatus; and if you deign to baptize me with your hand, I have the certainty that the Lord will heal me. The blessed Callistus administered baptism to him and, instantly, the ulcer disappeared. Privatus, in the transports of his gratitude, cried out: The Lord Jesus Christ, whom Callistus preaches, is the only true and holy God. All vain and mute idols will be cast into the flames. Christ is the eternal God! The praetorian prefect, exasperated by this news, had Privatus scourged with leaded whips until he expired. By his order, a stone was hung around the neck of Callistus, and, from a window of the house, he was thrown into a well, which was then filled with materials up to the opening. Seventeen days later, the priest Asterius, accompanied by clerics, came during the night to clear t he openi Astérius Priest who buried Callixtus and died a martyr at Ostia. ng of the well; he removed the body of Callistus and buried it with honor in the catacomb of Calepodius, on the Via Aurelia, on the eve of the Ides of October (October 14, 222). A week later, Asterius was arrested by order of the praetor and thrown into the Tiber from the top of the Milvian Bridge. The body of this martyr was found at Ostia and buried in that city by some Christians, on the twelfth of the Kalends of November (October 21, 222), under the reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the God who lives for ever and ever!

Saint Callistus is represented: 1° blessing a church, because he is considered to have founded the Basilica of Saint Mary in Trastevere, at the place where a fountain of oil had appeared around the time of the birth of Our Lord; 2° with a stone around his neck, with which he was thrown into a well after having been cast out of a window.

## CULT AND RELICS. The house where Saint Callistus had been kept was subsequently changed into a church in his name, served by Benedictine monks; one can see there the well consecrated by his martyrdom. Pope Paul I and his successors, seeing the cemeteries without walls and abandoned since the devastations of the barbarians, removed the bodies of the most illustrious Martyrs and had them carried into the principal churches of the city. Those of Callistus and Calepodius were transferred to the church of Saint Mary, beyond the Tiber. Around the year 854, his sacred bones were carried to the Ab bey of Cysoing, i abbaye de Cysoing Site of the translation of relics in the 9th century. n the current diocese of Cambrai, by the count Saint Everard, to whom this precious treasure was given by Pope Leo IV in recognition of the services he had rendered to the Church in the holy war against the Saracens, as Cardinal Baronius noted for the year 893. The Abbey of Cysoing having been given, around 887, to the Church of Reims by Rodol Reims Site of the baptism of Clovis. phe, son of Marquis Everard, the body of Saint Callistus was likewise given to this Church. Dodilon, Bishop of Cambrai, opposed their translation, and it was only after the repeated insistence of Archbishop Foulques that the relics were brought to Reims and kept there until 1792. There are several authentic documents that prove the existence of these relics at Notre-Dame before 1793: A gilded silver arm, enriched with precious stones, containing a relic of Saint Callistus; a copper reliquary with silver figures, in which were the entire head and several relics of the Saint, bequeathed by Rodolphe, under the pontificate of Foulques. On October 7, 1584, the Cardinal of Guise signed the official report of the relics contained in this reliquary. On May 29, 1621, the arm of Saint Callistus was granted to the Chapter of Lille, at the request of Mgr Gabriel de Sainte-Marie, suffragan of the Archbishop of Reims and canon of the church. In 1793, these reliquaries were sent to Paris with the church treasury. As for the relics, a former servant of the cathedral claimed to have heard from his brother that they had been deposited under the paving of the church. There remains at Notre-Dame only the memory of Saint Callistus and a chapel dedicated to him. In the 7th century of Reims, the feast of this holy Pope was a double feast by reason of the relics kept in the cathedral. When His Eminence Cardinal Gousset was about to choose his cardinalatial title in Rome, he chose that of Saint-Callistus, in preference to others, in memory of the veneration that the inhabitants of Reims had had and still have for this Saint. The church of Beauvais possessed relics of Saint Callistus which had been given to it, in 1217, by Bishop Miles de Nanteuil. These precious remains have not been in Beauvais since 1793, the time at which they were profaned. We have used, to compose this biography, the History of the Church, by the Abbé Darras, the Liber Pontificalis, the Acts of Saint Callistus, and Notes provided by the Vicar General of Beauvais, and by M. Ch. Cerf, canon of Notre-Dame de Reims.