Sixtus II was a mid-third-century pope who led the Catholic Church from 257 until his death in 258. Born in Greece, he worked to mend fractured relationships between the Roman church and various Eastern and African communities. During the reign of Emperor Valerian, he became a target of intense religious persecution. He was ultimately executed in Rome by beheading, a death he shared with several of his deacons, including the well-known Lawrence of Rome.