St. Soter
167-174 AD
📖 Life Timeline
167 AD
Became Pope
174 AD
End of reign
✝ Biography
Pope Soter (Greek: Σωτήρ, Latin: Soterius) was the bishop of Rome from c. 167 to his death in c. 174. According to the Annuario Pontificio, the dates may have ranged from 162–168 to 170–177. He was born in Fundi, in the Lazio region of Italy. Soter is known for declaring that marriage was valid only as a sacrament blessed by a priest and also for formally inaugurating Easter as an annual festival in Rome. His name, from Greek Σωτήριος from σωτήρ "saviour", would be his baptismal name, as his lifetime predates the tradition of adopting papal names.
Greek from Pelusium. Instituted the custom of the priest giving the chalice to the deacon. Martyred under Marcus Aurelius.
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