Fabian, Saint

▪ pope

Latin  Fabianus  

died Jan. 20, 250, Rome; feast day January 20

      pope from 236 to 250. The successor to St. Anterus, Fabian was an outstanding administrator and one of the great popes of the early church. He supposedly divided Rome into seven districts assigned to the seven deacons and is said to have founded several churches in France. His appointment of notaries to register the deeds of the martyrs (martyr) reflected the increasing precision with which the Roman Catholic church began to keep records during his time. Martyred during the persecution of the Roman emperor Decius, he was buried in the catacomb of St. Calixtus; his body was later moved to St. Sebastian's, where his tomb was found in 1915.

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