Hippolytus of Rome

Hippolytus of RomeÂÂÂ (170 – 235 AD) was the most important 3rd-century theologian in theÂÂÂ Christian ChurchÂÂÂ in Rome,[2]ÂÂÂ where he was probably born.ÂÂÂ Photios I of ConstantinopleÂÂÂ describes him in hisÂÂÂ BibliothecaÂÂÂ (cod. 121) as a disciple ofÂÂÂ Irenaeus, who was said to be a disciple ofÂÂÂ Polycarp, and from the context of this passage it is supposed that he suggested that Hippolytus so styled himself. However, this assertion is doubtful.ÂÂÂ He came into conflict with theÂÂÂ popesÂÂÂ of his time and seems to have headed a schismatic group as a rivalÂÂÂ Bishop of Rome.ÂÂÂ For that reason he is sometimes considered the firstÂÂÂ antipope.ÂÂÂ He opposed the Roman bishops who softened the penitential system to accommodate the large number of new pagan converts.ÂÂÂ However, he was very probably reconciled to the Church when he died as aÂÂÂ martyr.
Starting in the 4th century AD, various legends arose about him, identifying him as a priest of theÂÂÂ Novatianist schismÂÂÂ or as a soldier converted byÂÂÂ Saint Lawrence.ÂÂÂ He has also been confused with another martyr of the same name.ÂÂÂ Pius IVÂÂÂ identifies him as "Saint Hippolytus, Bishop of Pontus" who was martyred in the reign ofAlexander SeverusÂÂÂ through his inscription on a statue found at the Church of St. Lawrence in Rome and kept at the Vatican as photographed and published in Brunsen.