Pope Saint

Evaristus
Bishop of Rome
Pope Evaristus, 15th century
ChurchEarly Church
Papacy beganc. 99
Papacy endedc. 107
PredecessorClement I
SuccessorAlexander I
Personal details
Born
Bethlehem, Judea
Diedc. 107
Rome, Roman Empire
Sainthood
Feast day26 October

Pope Evaristus (Greek: Ευάριστος) was the bishop of Rome from c. 99 to his death c. 107.[1][2] He was also known as Aristus and is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church,[3] the Catholic Church, and Oriental Orthodoxy. It is likely that John the Apostle died during his reign period, marking the end of the Apostolic Age.

Biography

Evaristus I depicted in marble in Saint Peter's Basilica

According to the Liber Pontificalis, he was a Greek by birth, fathered by a Jew named Judah from the city of Bethlehem.[4] He was elected during the reign of the Roman emperor Trajan, and succeeded Clement I in the See of Rome. He divided titles among the priests in the city of Rome, and ordained seven deacons to assist with the bishop's preaching.

According to the book, The Externals of the Catholic Church, Evaristus decreed that “in accordance with Apostolic tradition marriage should be celebrated publicly and with the blessing of the priest”.[5]

Eusebius, in his Church History IV, I, stated that Evaristus died in the 12th year of the reign of Emperor Trajan after holding the office of bishop of the Romans for eight years.

Liber Pontificalis further describes him as the one "crowned with martyrdom".[6] The same is indicated also by the book "The lives and times of the popes".[7] However, in the Roman Martyrology he is listed without the martyr title, with a feast day on 26 October.[8]

Pope Evaristus is buried near the body of Saint Peter in the Vatican, in the Saint Peter's tomb under the Saint Peter's Basilica.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Pope St. Evaristus" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  2. ^ According to Annuario Pontificio, he died in 108.
  3. ^ "Orthodox England – The Holy Orthodox Popes of Rome".
  4. ^ Anastasius (bibliothecarius) (1602). Bibliothecarii Historia, de vitis romanorvm pontificvm a b.Petro apostolo vsqve ad Nicolavm I. nunquam hactenus typis excusa. Deinde Vita Hadriani II. et Stephani VI. auctore Gvilielmo Bibliothecario. Ex bibliotheca Marci Velseri ... Accessere variae lectiones, partim ex codie. mss. Biblioth. vaticanae, partim ex conciliorum tomis, Annalibus ecclesiast. Caes. Baronij ... exceptae. in typographeio I. Albini. p. 3. 1 Euaristus, natione Grecus, ex patre Iudaeo nomine Iuda, de ciuitate Bethleem, sedit ann. VIIII m. X d. II. Fuit autem temporibus Domitiani et Neruae Traiani, a consulatu Valentis et Veteris (96) usque ad Gallo et Bradua consulibus (108). Martyrio coronatur. 2 Hic titulos in urbe Roma diuidit presbiteris et VII diaconos ordinauit qui custodirent episcopum praedicantem, propter stilum ueritatis. 3 Hic fecit ordinationes III per mens. Decemb., presbiteros XVII, diaconos II; episcopos per diuersa loca XV. Qui etiam sepultus est iuxta corpus beati Petri, in Vaticanum, VI kal. Nouemb. Et cessauit episcopatus dies XVIIII.
  5. ^ Sullivan, Reverend John F. (1918). The Externals of the Catholic Church. Aeterna Press.
  6. ^ LIBER PONTIFICALIS. Quote: "Martyrio coronatur."
  7. ^ Alexis-François Artaud de Montor (1911). The lives and times of the popes : including the complete gallery of the portraits of the pontiffs reproduced from "Effigies pontificum romanorum Dominici Basae": being a series of volumes giving the history of the world during the Christian era. p. 21 – via archive.org. Quote: "Ignatius died of the wounds that were inflicted by ferocious beasts; Evaristus died under the hands of executioners, more cruel than the wild beasts themselves."
  8. ^ "Martyrologium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)
  9. ^ List of popes

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Catholic Church titles Preceded byClement I Bishop of Rome Pope 98–105 Succeeded byAlexander I
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