Stephen II
Birth name	???
Papacy began	ca. March 23, 752
Papacy ended	ca. March 26, 752
Predecessor	Saint Zacharias
Successor	Stephen III
Born	??? ???
Died	ca. March 26, 752 ???
{{{footnotes}}}

Stephen, elected pope in March of 752 to succeed Pope Zacharias, died of apoplexy three days later, before being consecrated. In those times, consecration prevailed over election: he was not considered a legitimate pope and forgotten on all lists of popes. His immediate successor, called Stephen too, is as a rule numbered Stephen II, since the name Stephen had been already borne by Pope Stephen I (242-257). Vatican coat of arms This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap years). ... Events Pope Stephen II, pope for 3 days in March. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ... Events Pope Stephen II, pope for 3 days in March. ... Saint Zacharias (or Zachary), pope (741-752), from a Greek family of Calabria, appears to have been on intimate terms with Gregory III, whom he succeeded (November 741). ... Stephen III (d. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ... Events Pope Stephen II, pope for 3 days in March. ... The Pope (from Greek: pappas, father; from Latin: papa, Papa, father) is the successor of St. ... Events Pope Stephen II, pope for 3 days in March. ... Saint Zacharias (or Zachary), pope (741-752), from a Greek family of Calabria, appears to have been on intimate terms with Gregory III, whom he succeeded (November 741). ... Apoplexy is an old-fashioned medical term, generally used interchangeably with cerebrovascular accident (CVA or stroke) but having other meanings as well. ... For a graphical representation of this list, see list of popes (graphical). ... Stephen III (d. ... Stephen I, pope (about March 12, 254 to August 2, 257). ... Events Patriarch Titus succeeds Patriarch Eugenius I as Patriarch of Constantinople Births Cao Mao, emperor of the Kingdom of Wei (possible date) Deaths Xiahou Ba Categories: 242 ... Events Pope Sixtus II succeeds Pope Stephen I Births Saint Gregory the Illuminator, founder and patron saint of the Armenian Church (approximate date) Deaths Pope Stephen I Categories: 257 ...

From 752 to 942, seven popes bearing the same name did reign. They didn't have a number during their life, since the custom of numbering popes dates back approximately from the 10th century, but they were later numbered from Stephen II to Stephen VIII. When a new pope Stephen was elected in 1057, after the numbering has become a custom, he was naturally called Stephen IX. Events Pope Stephen II, pope for 3 days in March. ... Events Kaminarimon, the eight-pillared gate to Japans Kinryuzan Sensouji Temple is erected. ... Events King Macbeth I of Scotland is killed in battle against Malcolm Canmore. ... Stephen X, né Frederick of Lorraine (d. ...

Approximately from the beginning of the 13th century, it was considered that election prevailed over consecration and then, an unconsecreted pope was a legitimate pope from his very election. According to this new rule, when Pope Celestine IV (1241) or Pope Urban VII (1590) died just after their election, before being consecrated, nobody did intend to erase them from the lists. And then, from the 16th Century, some began to consider that this article's Pope Stephen was indeed a legitimate pope. He had then to be called Stephen II and the following Stephens had to be requalified from Stephen III to Stephen X — even if the last one was called officially Stephen IX during his life! Pope Celestine IV, born Goffredo da Castiglione (born at Milan date unknown – Rome, November 10, 1241). ... Events April 5 - Mongols of Golden Horde under the command of Subotai defeat feudal Polish nobility, including Knights Templar, in the battle of Liegnitz April 27 - Mongols defeat Bela IV of Hungary in the battle of Sajo. ... Urban VII, né Giovanni Battista Castagna (August 4, 1521 – September 27, 1590) was pope for thirteen days in September 1590, was of Genoese origin, although born in Rome. ... Events March 14 - Battle of Ivry - Henry IV of France again defeats the forces of the Catholic League under the Duc de Mayenne. ...

From the 1961 edition of Annuario pontificio, which gives the "authorized" list of popes (there is no real official list), our Stephen was erased again and the following Stephens are numbered again from II to IX. But because not all list-makers count him as having been pope, there exists in other lists an awkward nomenclature for later popes who chose the name Stephen. Later Stephens are sometimes numbered with parentheses, e.g., his immediate successor is sometimes referred to either as Stephen (II) III, or as Stephen II (III). However, neither Celestin IV nor Urban VII have been similarly erased, because during their time one was pope immediately after his election. 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Annuario Pontificio or Pontifical Yearbook is the annual directory of the Holy See of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

Contrary to a widespread idea, the eviction of pope Stephen from the list is accepted by most historians and is no longer a debate within the Church, but the version of the Catholic Encyclopedia on which many articles rely dates from 1913, and is not up to date. The Catholic Encyclopedia (also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia today) is an English-language encyclopedia published in 1913 by the The Encyclopedia Press, designed to give authoritative information on the entire cycle of Catholic interests, action and doctrine. // History The writing of the encyclopedia began on January 11... 1913 (MCMXIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

This matter has no real theological significance or historical consequence: Stephen died without having made any theological decisions. Thus, the only thing recognizing or not recognizing him affects is the lists of popes. The next pope Stephen could choose to be called either Stephen X or Stephen XI, but thus far, no pope has chosen that name, avoiding any controversy. For a graphical representation of this list, see list of popes (graphical). ...

See also

• List of 10 shortest-reigning popes