Editing Pope Sixtus III (section)

==Pontificate==
[[File:Fig. 37.Peter and Paul, hetoimasia. Mosaic. Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore (c. 435). Author’s photograph.jpg|thumb|Mosaic from Santa Maria Maggiore ({{circa|AD 435}}), with Sixtus III's name (''Xystus Episcopus Plebi Dei'', "Sixtus Bishop to the People of God.")]]
Sixtus was consecrated pope on 31 July 432. He attempted to restore peace between [[Cyril of Alexandria]] and [[John I of Antioch|John of Antioch]]. He also defended the rights of the pope over [[Illyria]] and the position of the [[archbishop of Thessalonica]] as head of the local Illyrian church against the ambition of [[Proclus of Constantinople]].<ref name="ce"/>

His name is often connected with a great building boom in [[Rome]]: [[Santa Sabina]] on the [[Aventine Hill]] was dedicated during his pontificate. He built the Liberian Basilica as [[Santa Maria Maggiore]], whose dedication to [[Mary, the mother of Jesus|Mary]] the Mother of God reflected his acceptance of the [[Ecumenical council]] of [[First Council of Ephesus|Ephesus]] which closed in 431.  At that council, the debate over Christ's human and divine natures turned on whether Mary could legitimately be called the "Mother of God" or only "Mother of Christ". The council gave her the Greek title ''[[Theotokos]]'' (literally "God-bearer", or "Mother of God"), and the dedication of the large church in Rome is a response to that.

Sixtus III's [[feast day]] is 28 March.<ref name="ce"/>