Difference between revisions of "Pope Anacletus" - New World Encyclopedia

Saint Anacletus
Saint Anacletus
Birth name	Anacletus, Anencletus or Cletus
Papacy began	circa 79
Papacy ended	circa 90
Predecessor	Linus
Successor	Clement I
Born	Unknown; Rome, Italy
Died	circa 90; Rome, Italy

Revision as of 01:49, 26 November 2008

In Catholic tradition, Pope Saint Anacletus, was the third Roman Pope (after St. Peter and St. Linus). Whether he was the same as Pope Cletus, was formerly the subject of much discussion, but today both Catholic and non-Catholic authorities agree that the two were probably identical. The name "Cletus" in Ancient Greek means "one who has been called," and "Anacletus" means "one who has been called back."

According to the Liber Pontificalis, Cletus/Anacletus was have a Roman, although his Greek name leads some to speculate otherwise. This source gives his reign (as Cletus) as being 12 years. However, elsewhere it gives dates from the regnal years of certain Roman consuls that imply a reign of about half that long.

One of the few surviving records concerning Anacletus' papacy describes him as having ordained an 25 priests, and tradition holds that this he who divided Rome into 25 parishes. Anacletus, as a different person from Cletus, is also credited with adorning the sepulcher of Saint Peter.

Cletus/Anacletus is said to have died as a martyr, perhaps about the year 91. He was reportedly buried next to his predecessor, Pope Saint Linus, in St. Peter's Basilica, in what is now Vatican City.

Cletus and Anacletus

Most contemporary scholars, including Catholics, do not believe that the office of pope existed at Rome as such during the first century CE. Rather a collective leadership of several bishops or presbyters was more likely the case. The term "pope" is thus thought to have been applied to leaders like Anacletus retroactively.

Whatever he role was, however, there is considerable uncertainty about his identity. The Church Fathers Irenaeus, Eusebius, Augustine, and Optatus, all use both "Anacletus" and "Cletus" in speaking of the same person. On the other hand, the Catalogus Liberianus, the Carmen contra Marcionem and the Liber Pontificalis—all considered highly respectable on account of their antiquity—make Cletus and Anacletus distinct from each other. Some sources hold that Anacletus was a Greek, while Cletus as a Roman.

However, Tertullian omits him altogether, and to add to the confusion, he comes before Clement of Rome in some lists, and after him in others. The order of the bishops in Irenaeus is thus Linus, Anacletus, Clement; but Augustine, Optatus, and the Apostolic Constitutions put Clement before Anacletus.

Modern scholarship, however, has tended to agree with those authorities who consider the "two" popes Cletus and Anacletus, as one, placing him in line after Linus and before Clement.

Legacy

In February, 1961 the Vatican decreed that "the feast of 'Saint Anacletus'... is transferred to April 26, under its right name, 'Saint Cletus'." The Roman Martyrology mentions the Pope in question only under the name of "Cletus".

The current Pontifical Yearbook (Annuario Pontificio) admits: "For the first two centuries, the dates of the start and the end of the pontificate are uncertain." It gives the years 80 to 92 as the reign of Pope Cletus/Anacletus. Other contemporary sources give the years 77 to 88.

Roman Catholic Popes
Preceded by: Linus	Bishop of Rome Pope 79–88	Succeeded by: Clement I

Notes

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Donald Attwater and Catherine Rachel John, "The Penguin Dictionary of Saints," 3rd edition, New York: Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN 0-140-51312-4.
Louise Ropes Loomis, "The Book of Popes" (Liber Pontificalis). Merchantville, NJ: Evolution Publishing. ISBN 1-889758-86-8 (Reprint of the 1916 edition. (Ends with Pope Pelagius, who reigned from 579 until 590. English translation with scholarly footnotes, and illustrations).
Richard P. McBrien, "Lives of the Popes," (Harper, 2000). ISBN 0-06-065304-3
This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.

"Martyrologium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 8820972107)

External links

Writings attributed to Pope Anacletus/Cletus
The Society of Pope Saint Anacletus, an Independent Catholic association in the United States

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@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 Most contemporary scholars, including Catholics, do not believe that the office of pope existed at Rome as such during the first century CE. Rather a collective leadership of several bishops or presbyters was more likely the case. The term "pope" is thus thought to have been applied to leaders like Anacletus retroactively.
-Whatever he role was, however, there is considerable uncertainty about his identity. The [[Church Fathers]] [[Irenaeus]], [[Eusebius]], [[Augustine]], and [[Optatus]], all use both "Anacletus" and "Cletus" in speaking of the same person. However, Tertullian omits him altogether, and to add to the confusion, he comes before the supposed pope [[Clement of Rome]] in some lists, and after him in others. The order of the bishops in Irenaeus is thus Linus, Anacletus, Clement; but Augustine and Optatus put Clement before Anacletus. The Apostolic Constitutions even places Clement before both Linus and Anacletus.
+Whatever he role was, however, there is considerable uncertainty about his identity. The [[Church Fathers]] [[Irenaeus]], [[Eusebius]], [[Augustine]], and [[Optatus]], all use both "Anacletus" and "Cletus" in speaking of the same person. On the other hand, the ''Catalogus Liberianus'', the ''Carmen contra Marcionem'' and the ''Liber Pontificalis''—all considered highly respectable on account of their antiquity—make Cletus and Anacletus distinct from each other. Some sources hold that Anacletus was a Greek, while Cletus as a Roman.
-On the other hand, the ''Catalogus Liberianus'', the ''Carmen contra Marcionem'' and the ''Liber Pontificalis''—all considered highly respectable on account of their antiquity—make Cletus and Anacletus distinct from each other. Some sources hold that Anacletus was a Greek, while Cletus as a Roman. Modern scholarship, however, has tended to agree with those authorities who consider the "two" popes as one.
+However, Tertullian omits him altogether, and to add to the confusion, he comes before [[Clement of Rome]] in some lists, and after him in others. The order of the bishops in Irenaeus is thus Linus, Anacletus, Clement; but Augustine, Optatus, and the Apostolic Constitutions put Clement before Anacletus.
+Modern scholarship, however, has tended to agree with those authorities who consider the "two" popes Cletus and Anacletus, as one, placing him in line after Linus and before Clement.
 ==Legacy==