Telesforo (dad)

Telesforus (Greece, 42? - Rome, ha. 137) was the eighth Pope of the Catholic Church from 125 to 137.

He is the only one of the list of twelve popes drawn up by Saint Irenaeus, in which it is indicated that he died as a martyr, possibly under the Emperor Hadrian, although other, less reliable sources, maintain that it was because of the persecutions fomented by Trajan.

Tradition and history state that Telesforo instituted the midnight mass of the Rooster at Christmas, the composition of the song Gloria in excelsis Deo that he introduced into the Christmas mass and the implantation of the rules on fasting during Lent.

He is considered a saint by both the Catholic Church, which celebrates his holiday on January 5, and the Orthodox Church, which celebrates it on February 22.