Pope St. Sixtus II and his companions ( - 258)

Sixtus was elected Pope in 257. Twelve months later, on 6th August, as he was celebrating Mass in the catacomb of St. Calixtus, he was seized by the authorities (it was the time of Valerian’s persecution) and beheaded along with four of his deacons. He was buried in the same catacomb.

  St. Laurence, another deacon, was captured and executed four days later.

  We know most of the details of this martyrdom from a letter of St. Cyprian, who was himself martyred later in the same year.