Saint Hippolytus of Rome

Biography

Saint Hippolytus of Rome, also known as Hippolytus of Porto or Ippolito, was a third-century imperial Roman soldier who was assigned to guard Christian prisoners. It was through his interactions with these prisoners that he became converted to the Christian faith. Hippolytus was martyred for his involvement in assisting with the burial of some of the Christian prisoners under his guard. Hippolytus is particularly remembered for an unfortunate clerical error that led to him being inadvertently listed as two separate individuals on some calendars. The error created the confusion of Hippolytus of Rome and Hippolytus of Porto. However, this issue was resolved in the calendar revision of 1969. Saint Hippolytus is commonly represented by horses, symbolizing both his background as a Roman soldier and his love for horses. Before the formal establishment of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Hippolytus was considered a saint during the Pre-Congregation era. His feast day is celebrated on August 13th. As for his death, it is believed that Saint Hippolytus was brutally killed by being dragged or torn apart by horses outside Rome, Italy. The collected fragments of his body were subsequently buried along the Via Tiburtina in Rome. Saint Hippolytus was canonized as a saint during the Pre-Congregation period, which means that his sainthood was recognized prior to the establishment of the formal canonization process. He is venerated as the patron saint of horses, prison guards, prison officers, and prison workers. Additionally, he is also recognized as a patron saint in several cities and regions, including Sankt Pölten and Zell am See in Austria, as well as Bardonecchia, Bibbiena, Cassano Valcuvia, Fogliano di Cascia, Laterina, and Rogeno in Italy.