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12th Roman Pontiff
St Soter
SOTER
11th Successor of St Peter · 166–174 · Rome · b. Fundi, Italia, Roman Empire
166
Elected
174
Reign ended
8 years
Length
2nd
Century
The Life
Roman citizen, born in Italia, the homeland of the ancient Romans. Tradition holds he was martyred; feast day 22 April. Declared that marriage was valid as a sacrament blessed by a priest; formally inaugurated Easter as an annual festival in Rome.
Portrait: VCR Giulio19 / Wikimedia Commons