Pope Zephyrinus was a Roman, who was called to govern the Church during the reign of the Emperor Severus. It was he who decreed that they who are to be ordained should be ordained only at a fit time, and in the presence of many clerks and laymen, as was indeed already the custom, and that none but learned men and well known and spoken of should be set apart to that office. He decreed also that when the bishop celebrated the Holy Liturgy, all the priests should be present around him. Also he decreed that no patriarch, primate, or metropolitan should pronounce sentence on a bishop, unless they were charged with the authority of the Apostolic See. He lived as Pope eighteen years and eighteen days. He held four December ordinations, wherein he made thirteen priests, seven deacons, and thirteen bishops for divers places. He received the crown of martyrdom under the Emperor Antoninus, and was buried on the Appian Way, near the cemetery of Callistus, upon the 26th day of August.
