What is Pope Pontian?
{{Infobox Christian leader |type=Pope |honorific-prefix=Pope Saint |name=Pontian |image=Pontianus (pope).jpg |birth_name= |term_start=21 July 230 |term_end=28 September 235 |predecessor=[[Pope Urban I|Urban I]] |successor=[[Pope Anterus|Anterus]] |birth_date=c. 200 |birth_place= |death_date=October 235 |death_place=[[Sardinia]], [[Roman Empire]] |feast_day = 13 August }} '''Pope Pontian (Pontianus)''' (Pope from 230-235 d. 235 C.E.), was the eighteenth [[Pope]], the official title is the [[Bishop of Rome]] of the [[Catholic Church]]. Pontian served as pope mostly during the reign of [[Roman Emperor]] [[Severus]], generally considered a peaceful period for [[Christians]], but died during the reign of [[Maximinus Thrax]]. Maximinus Thrax did not tolerate Christians and pursued them violently. He arrested Pontian and Hippolytus and sent them to the mines in [[Sardinia]] where they died soon after. Pontian's body was returned to Rome a short time later and they were buried in the catacombs of Callistus on the Appian Way. Catacombs were underground chambers where many Christians lived, died and were buried.<ref>Richard P. McBrien, ''Lives of the Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to John Paul II'', (San Francisco:Harper San Francisco, 1997), p. 45</ref><ref>Catholic encyclopedia, (NY:Robert Appleton Company) ''[http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=9476]''</ref> Pontian is known for his condemnation of [[Origen]] a [[theology|theologian]] of the time, and forbade his teachings. Pontian is considered a [[martyr]] and a [[saint]] of the Catholic Church. His feast day is celebrated on August 13 along with a fellow martyr Hippolytus.<ref>Richard P. McBrien, ''Lives of the Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to John Paul II'', (San Francisco:Harper San Francisco, 1997), pp. 45-46</ref> == References == {{Reflist}} {{Popes}} [[Category:Popes]]