MARTYRED CATHOLIC POPES

A significant number of these popes have been recognized as saints, including 48 out of the first 50 consecutive popes, and others are in the sainthood process.
The first 31 popes, with the exception of Zephyrinus, died as martyrs.

  1. Saint Peter (67), traditionally martyred by crucifixion
  2. Pope Linus (Saint) (67-76)
  3. Pope Anacletus or Cletus (Saint) (79-92)
  4. Pope Clement I (Saint) (92-99), thrown into sea with anchor around his neck
  5. Pope Evaristus (99-108); not listed in the Roman Martyrology
  6. Pope Alexander I (Saint) (106-119); recognition as the martyred Saint Alexander (feast day May 3) rescinded in 1960
  7. Pope Sixtus I (Saint) (119-128)
  8. Pope Telesphorus (Saint) (128-138)
  9. Pope Hyginus (Saint) (138-142); martyrdom dubious
  10. Pope Pius I (Saint) (142-154), martyred by the sword; claim of martyrdom removed from the 1969 General Roman Calendar
  11. Pope Anicetus (Saint) (155-166), traditionally martyred.
  12. Pope Soter (Saint) (166-175), died a martyr
  13. Pope Eleuterus (Saint) (175-189), died a martyr
  14. Pope Victor I (Saint) 189-199, died a martyr
  15. Pope Calixtus I (Saint) (217-222), died a martyr
  16. Pope Urban I (Saint) 222-230, died a martyr
  17. Pope Pontian (Saint) 230-235, condemned to mines in Sardinia and died on island of Tavolara
  18. Pope Anterus (Saint) Elected 235-12-21, martyred at hands of Emperor Maximus
  19. Pope Fabian (Saint) Elected 236-1-10 and died a martyr 250-1-20 during persecution by Decius
  20. Pope Cornelius (Saint) (Elected March 251 and died a martyr June 253).
  21. Pope Lucius I (Saint) Elected 253-6-25 and martyred 254-3-5.
  22. Pope Stephen I (Saint) Elected 254-5-12 and martyred 257-8-2.
  23. Pope Sixtus II (Saint) Elected 257-8-30 and martyred 258-8-6.
  24. Pope Dionysius (Saint) Elected 259-7-22 after year of persecutions and died 268-12-26, martyred
  25. Pope Felix I (Saint) Elected 269-1-5 and died 274-12-30, martyred
  26. Pope Eutychian (Saint) Elected 275-1-4 and martyred 283-12-7.
  27. Pope Caius (Saint) Elected 283-12-17 and martyred 296-4-22, but not at hands of his uncle, Diocletian
  28. Pope Marcellinus (Saint) Elected 296-6-30 and martyred 304-10-25 during persecution of Diocletian
  29. Pope Marcellus I (Saint) Elected 308-5-27 after 4-year vacancy and martyred 309-1-16.
  30. Pope Eusebius (Saint) Elected 309-4-18 and martyred in Sicily 309-8-17.
  31. Pope Martin I (Saint) Elected in 649. Died in exile 655-9-16
  32. Pope John VIII (872–882): Allegedly poisoned and then clubbed to death
  33. Pope Stephen VI (896–897): Strangled
  34. Pope Benedict VI (973–974): Strangled
  35. Pope Leo V (903): Allegedly strangled
  36. Pope John X (914–928): Allegedly smothered with pillow
  37. Pope XIV (983–984): Either by starvation, ill-treatment or direct murder
  38. Pope Celestine V (1294, died 1296): Held captive and allegedly murdered after his abdication, by order of his successor, Pope Boniface VIII
  39. Pope Boniface VIII (1294–1303): Death possibly (though unlikely) from the effects of ill-treatment one month before
  40. Pope John Paul I (1978): Death 33 days after Papal election led to conspiracy theories


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