Saint Martin was born in Todi, Italy sometime in the late sixth or early seventh century. He was considered a man of great intellect, charity, and deep faith. He is also known as Martin the Confessor.

Prior to being elected pope, Saint Martin served as the papal envoy to Constantinople. At the time, Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine empire and the most influential Church leader in the Eastern Christian world was the patriarch of Constantinople, Patriarch Paul II. Steadfast cooperation between the Byzantine emperor Constans II and the patriarch created several challenges for the Church.

Monothelitism, a teaching supported by the Eastern Christian Church, was a dispute regarding Christ’s human nature. While this teaching acknowledged Christ’s two natures – human and divine, it emphasized only one will – the divine.

As the newly elected pope in 649, Martin I argued that by not acknowledging both Christ’s divine and human wills, the teaching essentially denied the biblical teaching that Christ was like humanity in everything other than sin.

He convened and presided over the Lateran Council of 649 where the gathered clergy opposed the teaching and produced documents that clarified the Church’s position regarding Christ’s divine and human wills.

Emperor Constans II, angered by Pope Martin’s actions sought to punish him. He had the pope arrested in Rome and brought to Constantinople where the latter was imprisoned and tortured. The pope was sentenced to death, but the sentence was commuted, and he was banished to the island of Cherson.

Pope St. Martin I died in 655 after suffering from illness and starvation. By then, the Church in Rome had lost all contact with him and therefore, elected his successor, Pope Eugenius I. This led to the Church having two popes at the same time.

Pope St. Martin I was the last pope to be martyred for defending the faith.

Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Caradoc
2. Saint Carpus
3. Saint Gunioc
4. Saint Hermengild
5. Saint Margaret of Castello