Pope Saint Marcellus I

Marcellus became bishop of Rome in 308, after the see had been vacant for several years because of the persecution of Diocletian. He found the Roman Church in disorder: many Christians had denied the faith under threat of death and now wished to return. Marcellus reorganized the city's parishes, the tituli, for baptism, penance and the burial of martyrs.

He insisted that those who had lapsed should do public penance before being readmitted to Communion. This angered some, riots broke out in the city, and the emperor Maxentius sent Marcellus into exile, where he died around 309. A later legend says that he was forced to work as a stable hand in the imperial post stables, which were later turned into a church. He is venerated as a martyr.

The church of San Marcello al Corso in Rome stands where tradition places the stables in which he was made to work, and his relics rest there. The Roman Martyrology commemorates him on January 16.