Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus

Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus were both Italian martyrs of the faith. Although they both would die in a salt mine in Sardinia, their lives beforehand could not have been more different. Saint Pontian was the Pope before resigning the papacy and being forced into exile by Emperor Maximinus Thrax. On the other hand, Hippolytus has the distinction of being the first "anti-pope," although he was also forced to mine salt on the island Sardinia. While in the mines, Hippolytus reconciled with the Church and be martyred alongside St. Pontian.