Hippolytus

(c. 170–c. 236)

   Antipope, Theologian and Saint.

   Little definite is known of the life of Hippolytus. origen heard him preach as a presbyter in Rome; he set himself up as antipope during the Pontificate of Callistus, but he was probably reconciled with Pope Pontianus before his death. His body was brought back to Rome and many legends grew up about him – it was said that he was a soldier converted by St laurence or that he was a martyred Bishop of Portus.

   He was generally forgotten until a headless statue of him, enthroned as a bishop, was discoved in 1551 which was engraved with a list of his writings. These include his Refutation of all Heresies, which had traditionally been attributed to Origen, and a treatise on the apostolic tradition. He taught that the Logos could be both immanent and eternal, and exterior and temporal. This led to his being accused of ditheism by his enemies. None the less he is generally regarded as the most important third-century theologian of the Western Church. The so-called Canons of Hippolytus are, however, not his work.

   D.H. Farmer (ed.), The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, 3^rd edn (1992);

   J.B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers, Vol. 1 (1890).