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Bp. Sixtus' dedication of the [[Basilica]] of Santa Maria Maggiore to Mary the Mother of God reflected his acceptance of the council at [[Ephesus]] in 431, at which 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 title ''[[Theotokos]]'' (literally "God-bearer", or "Mother of God")
Bp. Sixtus also continued to assert the rights of the Bishop of Rome over eastern Illyria and the position of [[archbishop]] of [[Thessalonica ]] that the Bishop of Rome held before emperor Constantine divided the Empire and placed eastern Illyria within the Eastern Empire that the Church of Constantinople claimed.
Bp. Sixtus reposed on [[August 18]], 440 and was succeeded by [[Leo the Great]].
