Difference between revisions of "Pope Clement I" - New World Encyclopedia

Saint Clement I
Saint Clement I
	File:StClement1.jpg
Birth name	Unknown
Papacy began	circa 88
Papacy ended	99
Predecessor	Anacletus
Successor	Evaristus
Born	Unknown; Rome, Italy
Died	circa 99; Crimea
	Other popes named Clement

Revision as of 18:56, 2 April 2008

Saint Clement I was the Bishop of Rome from 88 to 99 C.E. Also called Clement of Rome and Clemens Romanus, he was the fourth pope according to Catholic tradition. In his own lifetime, however, the term "Pope" itself and the attributes presently associated with the term did not yet exist.

Clement I is considered one of the Apostolic Fathers, and his name is in the Roman Canon of the Mass. Saint Clement I is commemorated on November 23 as pope and martyr in the Roman Catholic Churchas well as the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran church. The Syriac Orthodox and Malankara Orthodox Church, as well as the Syriac Catholic and Syro-Malankara Catholic Churches commemorate St. Clement of Rome (called Mor Clemis) on November 24.

Identity and biography

Tradition identifies Cement I as the Clement mentioned by Saint Paul in Philippians 4:3 ^[1]. He may have been a freedman of Titus Flavius Clemens, who was consul with his cousin, the Emperor Domitian. The Shepherd of Hermas (Vision II. 4. 3) mentions a Clement whose office it is to communicate with other churches. This function has been adduced to support Clement's authorship of the letter to the church at Corinth, Greece, which ascribed to him in the collection of early Christian literature known as the Apostolic Fathers.

The Liber Pontificalis supports the further belief that Clement of Rome had personally known Saint Peter, and states that he wrote two letters which have been preserved. (However, the second letter, 2 Clement, is now challenged as belong to him.) Liber Pontificalis further states that Clement died in Greece in the third year of Trajan's reign, or 100 C.E.

Questions exist as to Clement's "papacy." First, what was the nature of his office? Second, who preceded him in that office?

The First Epistle of Clement is not authored by a writer who claims to be Clement, but be a person writing on behalf of the Roman church to the church at Corinth, objecting to the removal of certain presbyters (elders) at the church as unjustified. Whether there was a single bishop at Rome at this time is debated. It may be that the writer is himself a presbyter or one of several bishops (overseers) who also acted as the church's secretary. If he were the reigning bishop, it seems more likely that he would referred to signed the letter by name. The attribution of the letter to Clement is traditional, but is recognized in several second-century church sources.

The second question relates to how many persons, if any, intervened between Peter and Clement as "pope." Tertullian and Jerome both indicate that Clement was ordained directly by Saint Peter] as his successor in Rome, although Jerome was also aware of other traditions. Several second-century sources, including Jerome himself, record traditions that Clement was preceded by Peter, Linus, and Cetus/Anacletus. Church tradition today holds that Clement was indeed the fourth pope. The Holy See's Annuario Pontificio (2003) cites a reign from 92 to 99.

Martyrdom

Earlier sources indicate that he died a natural death, but later tradition holds that he was martyred. The tradition of Clement's martyrdom dates from the ninth century. It indicates that he was exiled from Rome by the Emperor Trajan to a prison camp in Chersonesus, where he was sentenced to work in a stone quarry. In retaliation for having converted large numbers of the local pagans to Christianity, Clement was martyred by being tied to an anchor and thrown from a boat into the Black Sea in the year 102.

St. Cyril reportedly brought relics of St. Clement to Rome in 868, where they are now enshrined at the Basilica di San Clemente. Other relics of St. Clement, including his head, are claimed by the Kiev Monastery of the Caves in the Ukraine.

Symbolism

Saint Clement, by Tiepolo

Mariner's Cross/St. Clement's Cross.

In art, Saint Clement can be recognized as a pope with an anchor or fish. Sometimes his also pictured with a millstone, relating to his reported imprisonment in a stone quarry; keys, relating to his position as pope; a fountain, which miraculously sprung forth while he said Mass; or with a book. He is also shown lying in a temple in the sea.

The Mariner's Cross is sometimes referred to as St. Clement's Cross in reference to the way he was reportedly martyred.

Writings

Clement is perhaps best known by his letter to the church at Corinth, often called 1 Clement. The letter is particularly significant in Catholic ecclesiology in that it demonstrates the Roman church's early role in guided the conduct of other churches.

A second epistle, better described as a homily, has been traditionally ascribed to Clement. However recent scholars suggests dates the letter to the second century and challenges Clement's authorship.

Clement is also the hero of an early Christian romance or novel that has survived in at least two different versions, known as the Clementine literature, where he is identified with Domitian's cousin Titus Flavius Clemens.

References
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↑ "Writers of the 3rd and 4th cents., like Origen, Eusebius, and Jerome, equate him, perhaps, correctly, with the Clement whom St. Paul mentions (Phil. 4:3) as a fellow worker."—Kelly (1985). The Oxford Dictionary of Popes. Oxford University Press, p. 7.

External links

Roman Catholic Popes
Preceded by: Anacletus	Bishop of Rome Pope 88–98	Succeeded by: Evaristus

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[1] "Writers of the 3rd and 4th cents., like Origen, Eusebius, and Jerome, equate him, perhaps, correctly, with the Clement whom St. Paul mentions (Phil. 4:3) as a fellow worker."—Kelly (1985). The Oxford Dictionary of Popes. Oxford University Press, p. 7.

[1]

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 Tradition identifies Cement I as the Clement mentioned by [[Saint Paul]] in [[Philippians]] 4:3 <ref>"Writers of the 3rd and 4th cents., like Origen, Eusebius, and Jerome, equate him, perhaps, correctly, with the Clement whom St. Paul mentions (Phil. 4:3) as a fellow worker."—{{cite book|last=Kelly|year=1985|title=The Oxford Dictionary of Popes|pages=''p.'' 7|publisher=Oxford University Press}}</ref>. He may have been a freedman of [[Titus Flavius Clemens (consul)|Titus Flavius Clemens]], who was [[consul]] with his cousin, the Emperor [[Domitian]]. ''[[The Shepherd of Hermas]]'' (''Vision'' II. 4. 3) mentions a Clement whose office it is to communicate with other churches. This function has been adduced to support Clement's authorship of the letter to the church at [[Corinth, Greece]], which ascribed to him in the collection of early Christian literature known as the [[Apostolic Fathers]].
-The ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'' supports the further belief that Clement of Rome had personally known [[Saint Peter]], and states that he wrote two letters which have been preserved. (However, the second letter, ''2 Clement'', is now challenged as belong to him.)  ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'' further states that Clement died in [[Greece]] in the third year of [[Trajan]]'s reign, or 100 C.E.. Earlier sources indicate that he died a natural death, but later tradition holds that he was martyred. The Holy See's ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' (2003) cites a reign from 92 to 99.
+The ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'' supports the further belief that Clement of Rome had personally known [[Saint Peter]], and states that he wrote two letters which have been preserved. (However, the second letter, ''2 Clement'', is now challenged as belong to him.)  ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'' further states that Clement died in [[Greece]] in the third year of [[Trajan]]'s reign, or 100 C.E.
-The tradition of Clement's martyrdom dates from the ninth century. It indicates that he was exiled from Rome by the Emperor [[Trajan]] to a prison camp in [[Chersonesus]], where he was sentenced to work in a stone quarry. In retaliation for having converted large numbers of the local pagans to Christianity, Clement was [[martyr]]ed by being tied to an anchor and thrown from a boat into the [[Black Sea]] in the year 102.
+Questions exist as to Clement's "papacy." First, what was the nature of his office? Second, who preceded him in that office?
+The First Epistle of Clement is not authored by a writer who claims to be Clement, but be a person writing on behalf of the Roman church to the church at Corinth, objecting to the removal of certain [[presbyters]] (elders) at the church as unjustified. Whether there was a single bishop at Rome at this time is debated. It may be that the writer is himself a presbyter or one of several [[bishop]]s (overseers) who also acted as the church's secretary. If he were the reigning bishop, it seems more likely that he would referred to signed the letter by name. The attribution of the letter to Clement is traditional, but is recognized in several second-century church sources.
+The second question relates to how many persons, if any, intervened between Peter and Clement as "pope." Tertullian and Jerome both indicate that Clement was ordained directly by [[Saint Peter]]] as his successor in Rome, although Jerome was also aware of other traditions. Several second-century sources, including Jerome himself, record traditions that Clement was preceded by Peter, Linus, and Cetus/Anacletus. Church tradition today holds that Clement was indeed the fourth pope. The Holy See's ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' (2003) cites a reign from 92 to 99.
+==Martyrdom==
+Earlier sources indicate that he died a natural death, but later tradition holds that he was martyred. The tradition of Clement's martyrdom dates from the ninth century. It indicates that he was exiled from Rome by the Emperor [[Trajan]] to a prison camp in [[Chersonesus]], where he was sentenced to work in a stone quarry. In retaliation for having converted large numbers of the local pagans to Christianity, Clement was [[martyr]]ed by being tied to an anchor and thrown from a boat into the [[Black Sea]] in the year 102.
 [[St. Cyril]] reportedly brought [[relics]] of St. Clement to Rome in 868, where they are now enshrined at the [[Basilica di San Clemente]]. Other relics of St. Clement, including his head, are claimed by the [[Kiev Monastery of the Caves]] in the [[Ukraine]].