Callistus I (pope 217 to 222): Former slave accused by his opponent Hippolytus of losing the faithful's money and relaxing penitential discipline

What we know of Callistus comes mainly from his opponents. The Philosophumena, probably by Hippolytus, says that he was a slave, ran a bank and lost the money of brethren and widows. According to the Britannica, Hippolytus also accused him of doctrinal error and relaxing discipline. The Catholic Encyclopedia considers the charges probably based on facts, but calls them calumnies. This is the polemic of opponents, not a finding.

Life dates

217-222 (about 5 years old)

Country

Vatican City

Institutions

Church of Rome

Category

Financial misconduct

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Background

Who received the assets, who profited?

1. According to the Philosophumena, Callistus was the slave of Carpophorus, who entrusted him with large sums. He started a bank in which brethren and widows lodged money, and lost it all. He fled and was caught.
   Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel Pope St. Callistus I

   „with which he started a bank in which brethren and widows lodged money, all of which Callistus lost“

Response of the Church

1. According to the Britannica, he became pope in 217 and was accused by Hippolytus of doctrinal error and relaxed discipline. The Catholic Encyclopedia calls the accounts calumnies by his bitter enemies, though probably based on facts.
   Evidence: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Calixtus

   „Hippolytus accused him also of certain relaxations of discipline“

   Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel Pope St. Callistus I

   „Their calumnies are probably based on facts.“

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource): Pope St. Callistus I, in: Catholic Encyclopedia (1908), Bd. 3, 1 January 1908. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Cambridge University Press (Wikisource): Calixtus, in: Encyclopædia Britannica (1911), Bd. 5, 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.