STEPHEN
288
STEPHEN
relics were transferred to Buda. His incorrupt right
hand is treasured as the most sacred relic in Hungary.
Three old lives are extant: Vita mnjm in Man. Germ. HisL. Script., XI. 229-39. written probably before 1083; Cronim Un- garorum in Mon. Pol. hist., I. 495-515, written about 1086; Vita minor in Mon. Germ. Hist., Script.. XI. 226-9, written about 1100. Another Life written by Hartwio shortly after the Vita minor in 5cT»p(. rerum Hung., I. 413-28, i3 based on the three preceding ones. Karacsonyi, Stent Istvan kiraly elete (Budapest, 1904) ; Idem, Szent Istvan kiraly okleveley es aSziheszter bulla (Budapest, 1894) ; Horn. St. Etienne, roi apostolique de Hongrie (Paris. 1899) ; Stilting. Vitas. Stephani regis Hungarite (Raah, 17'i7; Kaschau. 1767): BtTTLER. Lives of the Saints, 2 September; Baring- Gould, Lives of the Saints, 2 September.
Michael Ott.
Stephen I, Saint, Pope. Although there is some doubt as to the dates connected with the pontificate of Stephen, it is generally believed that he was con- secrated 12 May, 254, and that he died 2 August, 257. According to the most ancient catalogues, he was a Roman by birth, and the son of Jovius, and there is no reason to doubt t)ie assertion of the "Liber Pon- tificalis" that Lucius I, when about to be martjTed, made over the care of the Church to his archdeacon Stephen (254). Most of what we know regarding Pope Stephen is connected directly or indirectly with the severe teachings of the heretic Novatus. Con- cerning his most important work, his defence of the validity of heretical baptism against the mistaken opinion of St. Cj-prian and other bishops of Africa and Asia, there is no need to speak now, as the history of this important controversy will be found under Baptism and Cyprian of Carthage, Saint. Suffice it here to call attention to certain newly discovered letters on the subject by St. Dlonysius of Alexandria ("Eng. Hist. Rev.", Jan., 1910, 111 sq.), and to note, with the late Archbishop Benson of Canterburj', that Stephen "triumphed, and in him the Church of Rome triumphed, as she deserved " |E. W.Benson, "Cyprian, His Life, His Times, His Works", VIII (London), 1897, 3]. In the early part of his pontificate Stephen was frequently urged by Faustinus, Bishop of Lyons, to take action against Marcian, Bishop of Aries, who, attaching himself to doctrines of Novatus, denied communion to the penitent lapsi. For some reason unknown to us Stephen did not move. The bishops of Gaul accordingly turned to Cyprian, and begged him to write to the pope. This the saint did in a letter which is our sole source of information regarding this affair (Epp. Ixix, Ixviii). The Bishop of Carthage entreats Stephen to imitate his martyred predecessors, and to instruct the bishops of Gaul to condemn Mar- cian, and to elect another bishop in his stead. As no more is said by St. Cyprian on this affair, it is sup- posed that the pope acted in accordance with his wishes, and that Marcian was deposed. The case of the Spanish bishops Martial and Basilides also brought Stephen in connexion with St. Cyprian. As libel- latici they had been condemned by the bishops of their province for denying the Faith. At first they acknowledged their guilt, but afterwards appealed to Rome, and, deceived by their story, Stephen exerted himself to secure their restoration. Accordingly some of their fellow bishops took their part, but the others laid the case before St. Cj^prian. An assembly of African bishops which he convoked renewed the con- demnation of BasiUdes and Martial, and exliorted the people to enter into communion with their successors. At the same time tlicy were at pains to point out that Stephen li;ui aitcd us lu- h:ul done because "situated at a (liHtaiicc, aiul ignorant of the true facts of the case" he had been deceived by Basilides. Anxious to preserve the tradition of his predecessors in matters of practical charity, as well as of faith, Stephen, we are told, relieved in their necessities "all the provinces of Syria and Arabia". In his days the vestments worn by the clergy at Mass and other church services did not differ in shape or material from tht)se ordinar- ily worn by the laity. Stephen, however, is said by
the "Liber Pontificalis" to have ordained that the
vestments which had been used for ecclesiastical pur-
poses were not to be employed for daily wear. The
same authority adds that he finished his pontificate
by martyrdom; but the evidence for this is generally
regarded as doubtful. He was buried in the cemetery
of St. CaU.\tus, whence his body was transferred by
Paul I to a monastery which he had founded in his
honour.
Duchesne. Liber Pontificalis, I (Paris. 1886" jcvii. 153HI; EusEBiDs. Hist. Eccles., VII, 2-5; the letters of St. Cyprian, Ixvii sq.. in any ed. of his Works, or ap. Coustant, Epp.: Rom. Pont., 1 (Paris. 1721). 211 sq.; Jaff£. Regeala, I (Leipzig, 1888), 20-1; Hefele. Vonciles, I (Paris. 1869). 97 sq.
Horace K. Mann.
Stephen II, Pope. — On the death of Zachary, a certain i>rirst Stephen was unanimously elected to succeed hiia (about 23 March, 752); but on the third day after his election, whilst transacting some domestic affairs, he was struck with apoplexy, and expired on the next day. As he died before his con- secration, earlier writers do not appear to have in- cluded him in the list of the popes; but, in accordance with the long standing practice of the Roman Church, he is now generally counted among them. This divergent practice has introduced confusion into the way of counting the Popes Stephen.
Ed. Duchesne, Liber Pontificalis, I (Paris. 1886), 440; Mann. Liies of the Popes, I. pt. ii (London. 1902). 290 sq.
Horace K. Mann.
Stephen (II) III, Pope, unanimously elected in St. Mary Major's, and consecrated on 26 March (or 3 April), 752; d. 26 April, 757. He had at once to face the Lombards who were resolved to bring all Italy under their sway. With the capture of Ravenna (751), they had put an end to the power of the Byzantine exarchs and were preparing to seize the Duchy of Rome. In vain did Stephen apply for help to Constantinople and freely spent his money to induce them to keep the peace they had made with him, and to refrain from hostilities. He acconlingly devoted himself to prayer and endeavoured to obtain assistance from Pepin and the Franks. As a last resource he went himself to Gaul to plead his cause before the Frankish king. Receiving a most favour- able reception, he crowned Pepin as King of the Franks, and at Kiersey was solemnly assured by him that he would defend him, and would restore the exarchate to St. Peter. Failing to make any im- pression on Aistulf, the Lombard king, by repeated embassies, Pepin forced the passes of the Alps, and com])elled him to swear to restore Ravenna and the other cities he had taken (754). But no sooner had Pepin withilrawn from Lombardy than Aistulf roused the whole Lombard nation, appeared in arms before the walls of Rome (Jan., 756), ravaged the neigh- bourhood, and made a desperate attempt to capture the city. After receiving one appeal for help after another from the pope, Pepin crossed the Alps a second time (756), and again forced Aistulf to sub- mission. This time Stephen was put in possession of the cities of the ex;irih;ite and of the Pentapolis, and became practically the first pope-king. Towards the close of this same year Aistulf died amid prepara- tions for once more violating his engagements. On his death two rivals claimed the Lombard throne, Desiderius, Duke of Istria and Ratchis, brother of Aistulf, who in 749 had resigned the Lombard crown, and had taken the monastic habit in Monte Cassino. Desiderius at once invoked the assistance of the pope, and, on condition of his help, promi.sed to re- store to Rome certain cities in the exarch;ite and the Pentai)olis which still remained in the hands of the Lomb;irds, and to give the pope a large sum of money. Stei)hen at once sent envoys to both the rivals, and, impressing on Ratchis the duty of being true to his monastic vows, succeeded in bringing about peace.
