Saint Sixtus I, a Roman citizen, was elected the seventh head of the Church after the martyrdom of Saint Alexander I. He was elected pope in 117 or 119 after his reign. He is thought to have attained eternal rest in 126 or 128. He led the church during the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian.

Saint Sixtus I is best known for some of the decrees he issued and the instructions he gave to the Church.

He specifically instructed that only bishops, priests and deacons be allowed to touch the sacred vessels (Chalice and Paten) used in the Eucharist. He issued a decree forbidding the laity to touch the Sacred vessels even at times outside the Holy Mass.

He instructed the Universal Church to recite the Holy, Holy, and Holy (Sanctus) after the Preface during the Holy Mass.

Another important decree Saint Sixtus I was that when Bishops came back from Rome to their dioceses, they are to carry a papal decree, without which they are no to be admitted to the dioceses. This indicated the fact that Rome had the power to remove bishops.

Tradition says that Saint Sixtus I was martyred simply because he was the Pope. It is believed that Alban Butler, who was a priest in the Church during the early 120s, passed the relics from the pope to a man who entrusted them to the Church.

-transl and editd SM