St. Fabian was the pope from 236 to 250. Fabian proved to be 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 reflected the increasing precision with which the Roman Catholic Church began to keep records during his time. Fabian was martyred during the Roman emperor Decius’s persecution of Christians and was succeeded by St. Cornelius. He was buried in the catacomb of St. Calixtus, but his body was later moved to St. Sebastian’s, where his tomb was found in 1915.
Saint Fabian: Overview
Fabian served as Bishop of Rome from 236 to 250 AD, succeeding Pope Anterus and preceding Pope Cornelius. His papacy was marked by peace, organization, and missionary activity—until the Decian persecution claimed his life
Early Life and Miraculous Election
- Roman layman from a rural background: He came into Rome from the countryside during the papal election.
- Elected by divine sign: A dove reportedly descended on his head, which the electors took as a sign of the Holy Spirit, leading to his unanimous acclamation as pope.
- Known for humility and purity of life: Praised by Saint Cyprian for his holiness.
Papacy (236–250 AD)
- Ended the schism of Hippolytus: Helped reconcile factions in the Roman Church.
- Organized the Church of Rome into seven districts: Assigned each to a deacon, strengthening administration.
- Appointed notaries to record martyr acts: Improved record‑keeping and preserved early Christian history.
- Sent missionaries to Gaul: Tradition holds he dispatched seven “apostles to the Gauls”.
- Maintained good relations with imperial authorities: Until the Decian persecution began.
Martyrdom
- Killed during Emperor Decius’s persecution in January 250.
- Buried in the Catacomb of St. Callixtus, where his grave marker reading “Fabian, bishop, martyr” was later found.
- Venerated as a martyr in all major apostolic traditions: Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican Churches honor him on January 20
Prayer:
Saint Fabian, you were divinely chosen as the Vicar of Christ on earth. In your humility and obedience to the will of God, you not only bore this heavy responsibility but also died for it. Please pray for me, that I may have the same courage as you to face an un-Christian culture bravely and accept the consequences of such a choice, no matter the cost. Saint Fabian, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
Prayer to Saint Fabian
O St. Fabian, steadfast guide,
in trials fierce, you did abide.
Through persecution, your faith shone bright,
intercede for us, bring forth your light.
In unity, may we stand strong,
with courage, love, where we belong.
Pray for the Church, our hearts inspire,
with your example, lift us higher.
Amen.
Prayer to Pope St. Fabian
O God, in your providence you singled out the holy martyr Fabian as worthy to be chief
pastor of your people, and guided him so to strengthen your Church that it stood fast
in the day of persecution: Grant that those whom you call to any ministry in the Church
may be obedient to your call in all humility, and be enabled to carry out their tasks with
diligence and faithfulness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Prayer to Pope St. Fabian
God our Father, glory of Your priests, may the prayers of Your martyr Fabian help us to
share his faith and offer you loving service. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
COLLECT PRAYER
O God, glory of your Priests, grant we pray, that, helped by the intercession of your Martyr Saint Fabian, we may make progress by communion in the faith and by worthy service. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
PRAYER:
God our Father, glory of Your priests,
may the prayers of Your martyr Fabian
help us to share his faith
and offer you loving service.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Prayer:
Pope Saint Fabian, it’s so easy to believe that peace means a life without conflict or suffering. Help us to see that the only true peace is the peace Christ brings. Never let us as a Church or as individual Christians choose to deny our beliefs simply to avoid an unpleasant situation. Amen
Prayer
Thus didst thou live out the long tempestuous days of thy Pontificate, O Fabian! But thou hadst the presentiment of the peaceful future reserved by God for His Church, and thou didst zealously labour to hand down to the coming generations the great examples of the Martyrs. The flames have robbed us of a great portion of the treasures thou preparedst for us, and have deprived us of knowing the Fabian who so loved the Martyrs, and died one himself. But of thee, Blessed Pontiff! we know enough to make us thank God for having set thee over His Church in those hard times, and keep this day as a feast in celebration of thy glorious triumph. The dove, which marked thee out as the one chosen by heaven, showed thee to men as the visible Christ on earth; it told thee that thou wert destined for heavy responsibilities and martyrdom; it was a warning to the Church, that she should recognise and hear thee as her guide and teacher. Honoured thus with a resemblance to Jesus in the mystery of his Epiphany, pray to Him for us, that He mercifully manifest himself to our mind and heart. Obtain of Him, for us, that docility to His grace, that loving submissiveness to His every will, that detachment from all created things, which were the support of thy life, during those fifteen years of thy ever threatened and anxious pontificate. When the angry persecution at length broke on thee, it found thee prepared, and martyrdom carried thee to the bosom of God, who had already welcomed so many of thy martyred children. We, too, are looking for that last wave, which is to break over us, and carry us from the shore of this present life to eternity–oh! pray for us, that it may find us ready! If the love of the Divine Babe, our Jesus, be within us; if, like thee, we imitate the simplicity of the dove;–we shall not be lost! Here are our hearts–we wish for nothing but God–help us by thy prayers.
Amen
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