<p>Most of what we know about Callistus, an early pope, was written by a hostile opponent, Saint Hippolytus, and must be carefully interpreted. From his early years, Callistus was the slave of a Christian. Honest and intelligent, he was put in charge of a bank which eventually failed. For this and other incidents, he was arrested and sentenced to forced labour in Sardinian mines.</p>
<p>About 199 Pope Zephyrinus made the enfranchised Callistus (freed earlier by his original master) his deacon and counsellor and put him in charge of the first official Christian cemetery in Rome, known today as San Callisto cemetery. In 217, Callistus was elected pope by a majority vote of the Roman clergy and laity and, despite strong opposition, introduced humanitarian reforms. He met a violent death about 222, probably during an uprising against Christians, and was buried on the Via Aurelia.<br /></p>
<p>©2011 <em>Living with Christ, </em>Novalis - Bayard Press Canada Inc., <strong>http://www.livingwithchrist.ca/</strong>. Reprinted with permission.</p>
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