Zephyrinus was one of a long string of saints, martyrs, and popes (in fact, he was all three) who were renowned for their zeal in battling heresies. While pope, Zephyrinus had his hands full with Marcionites and Montantists (and a few years of generalized Roman persecution of Christians, too), and worked diligently to keep the Church purified of wrong thinkers and teachers. Diversity was not valued by the Church, and Zephyrinus held the reins tightly.

What makes Zephyrinus of interest is an incident in which he grudgingly found himself forced to allow a repentant heretic named Natilis back into full Christian communion! Butler tells of a man, Natilis, who had fallen in (theologically) with the Wrong Crowd. Specifically, Natilis had gotten swept up in a second wave of Ebionism! What, you ask, was Ebionism? In its most basic form, Ebionism is the belief that Jesus was not “divine” in some way different from other humans beings; rather, Jesus was a notable prophet that pointed people to the One True God. (Some four centuries later, Muhammed, the founder of Islam, embraced this same belief).

Pope Zephyrinus wasn’t having any of that heresy. After all, consider the implications of suggesting that Jesus was fully human, period! So as a matter of course, Zephyrinus excommunicated Natilis, condemning the heretic forever to be damned. But then–the damnedest thing (pun intentional) happened: Natilis “was whipped a whole night by an angel.” Yes, you read that right–Natilis was physically roughed up and beaten for an entire night by an angel of God. He had bruises and lacerations to prove it, too! This experience proved quite compelling enough for Natilis to repent of his heresy and to personally seek forgiveness from Pope Zephyrinus.

Butler relates:

However, though he (Natilis) entreated very earnestly, and shewed the marks of the stripes he had received (from the whoop-ass laid on him by the angel), it was with much difficulty that St. Zephyrinus re-admitted him to the communion of the church, granting him, in recompence of his great compunction, an indulgence or relaxation of the severity of the discipline, which required a penitential delay and trial.

So, for his good sense not to thwart the obvious will of God (as expressed by a thug angel)–and perhaps not wanting some of the same coming his own way–Zephyrinus is honored this day in the Saints’ Calendar.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” – Hebrew 10:31 (KJV)