Pope St. Clement I
Patron of Marble-Workers
Little is known of this apostolic father beyond a few facts. He was a
disciple
of S. Peter, and perhaps of S. Paul. It is thought that the Clement
whom S. Paul praises as a faithful fellow- worker, whose name is written
in the Book of
Life [Philippians 4:3], was Clement, afterwards
bishop
of Rome. But there is great difficulty in admitting this supposition.
It is certain that Clement, the idol of the Petrine party in the
Primitive Church, about whom their myths and traditions circled
lovingly, was quite removed in feeling from the Pauline party.
According
to Tertullian, Clement succeeded S. Peter immediately in the episcopal
government of the Church at Rome. But in the list of
bishops
given us by Irenaeus and Eusebius he occupies the third place after the
apostle, that is, after Linus and Cletus (Anacletus). It is, however,
probable that the Church at
Rome had at first two successions, one Petrine, the other Pauline, but that they speedily merged into one; and this
will account for the confusion in the lists of the first
bishops
of Rome. Clement probably was Petrine, and Cletus Pauline bishop, the
former ruling the converted Jews, the latter the Gentile converts. We
know nothing of the events of his pontificate, except that there was a
schism
at Corinth, which drew forth a letter from him which is preserved. S.
Jerome and S. Irenaeus do not say that he died a martyr's death, but
Rufinus and
Zosimus
give him the title of martyr; but this title by no means implies that
he had died for the faith; it had anciently more extended signification
than at present, and included all who had witnessed a
good confession, and suffered in any way for their faith.
This is all that we know of S. Clement. But
imagination has spun a web of romance about his person.
The
Clementine Recognitions and Homilies are an early romance representing
the disputation of S. Peter and Simon Magus; they have a story running
through them to hold the long disquisitions together, of which S.
Clement is the hero. It is, however, pure romance, with, perhaps, only
this basis of
truth in it, that Clement is represented as the devoted adherent and
disciple of S. Peter. The
Clementines are thoroughly anti-Pauline, as are also the Apostolic Constitutions, in which again S. Clement appears prominently.
The
legend of the martyrdom of S. Clement relates that, in the reign of
Trajan, when Mamertinus was prefect of the city, and Toractianus count
of the offices, a sedition arose among the rabble of
Rome against the Christians, and especially against Clement,
bishop
of Rome. Mamertinus interfered to put down the riot, and having
arrested Clement, sent him to the emperor, who ordered his banishment to
Pontus, where he was condemned to work in the marble quarries. He found
many Christians among his fellow-convicts, and comforted and encouraged
them. The only spring of drinking water was six miles off, and it was a
great hardship to the convicts to have to fetch it all from such a
distance. One day Clement saw a lamb scraping at the soil with one of
its forefeet. He took it as a sign that water was there; dug, and found a
spring.
As Clement succeeded in converting many pagans, he
was sent to Aufidianus, the prefect, who ordered him to be drowned in
the sea with an old anchor attached to his neck. His body was recovered
by his
disciple Phoebus. The
relics of S. Clement were translated to
Constantinople
(860) by S. Cyril on his return from his mission to the Chazars, whilst
engaged in the Chersonese on his Sclavonic translation of the Gospels.
Some of the
relics
found their way to Rome, and were deposited in the church of San
Clemente, where they are still reverently preserved. These consist of
bones, some reddened earth, a broken vase containing some red matter, a
little bottle similarly filled, and an inscription stating that these
are the
relics of the Holy
Forty Martyrs of Scilita, and also of Flavius Clement.
In art S. Clement of
Rome is represented as a Pope with an anchor at his side. [His death is placed at about 100 A.D.]
From The Lives of the Saints by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould, M.A., published in 1914 in Edinburgh.
Clement of Rome (died 110 A.D.)
The Fathers of the Church spread the gospel of Jesus
Christ, defended the Church in apologetic writing and fought the many
heresies of the first six centuries of Christianity. These men, also
called Apostolic Fathers, gave special witness to the faith, some dying
the death of a martyr. Like Jesus who referred to Abraham as a spiritual
father (Luke 16: 24) and St. Paul, who referred to himself in the same
terms (1 Cor 4: 15), the Fathers were zealous for the word of God. Their
writings are a testimony to the faith of the early Church, yet many
Christians are unfamiliar with the work of Clement of Rome, Ignatius of
Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, Justin the Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian,
Origen, Cyprian of Carthage, Athanasius, Ephraim, Cyril of Jerusalem,
Hilary of Poitiers or Gregory the Great to name of few of the early
Fathers. This site will provide biographical information and examples of
the writing of these great men of faith. We will focus on Clement of
Rome.
St. Clement of Rome
was the third successor of Peter the Apostle as bishop of Rome, and
therefore, our fourth Pope. St. Irenaeus, himself a Father of the
Early Church, tells us that Clement "saw the blessed Apostles and
conversed with them, and had yet ringing in his ears the preaching of
the Apostles and had their tradition before his eyes, and not he only
for many were then surviving who had been taught by the Apostles ".
Similarly Epiphanius tells us that Clement was a contemporary of Peter
and Paul. His service as Bishop of Rome was probably from about 92-101
A.D. There is a tradition that he was ordained by St. Peter and acted as
a kind of auxiliary bishop to Linus and Anacletus, his predecessors in
the papal chair.
About 110 A.D.
Clement was sentenced to a martyr's death in the arena by the Emperor
Trajan. According to a fourth century story, Trajan had banished the
pope to the Crimea in the southern Ukraine because of his success in
evangelization, where he satisfied the thirst of two thousand Christian
confessors by a miracle. The people of the country were converted and
seventy‑five churches built. A frustrated Trajan then ordered Clement to
be thrown into the sea with an iron anchor. But he had an impact even
after his martyrdom because the tide receded two miles every year,
finally, revealing a divinely built shrine which contains the martyr's
bones.
Clement’s papal letter to the
Corinthians was written about 80 A.D. in an effort to restore peace to
the Church at Corinith, Greece which had broken into factions and was
intent upon firing some of their presbyters. The epistle is written in
Greek and frequently cites the Old Testament. The tone of Papal
authority and the theme of Apostolic succession are evident in the
letter. Here are some excerpts. Look for evidence of papal authority
as you read them.
Letter to the Corinithians (ca. 80 A.D.)
Chapter 1
"The
Church of God which sojourns in Rome to the Church of God which
sojourns in Corinth, to those who are called and sanctified by the will
of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace and peace from Almighty God
be multiplied unto you through Jesus Christ."
Chapter 5
Peter,
through unjust envy, endured not one or two but many labours, and at
last, having delivered his testimony, departed unto the place of glory
due to him. Through envy Paul, too, showed by example the prize that is
given to patience: seven times was he cast into chains; he was
banished; he was stoned; having become a herald, both in the East and in
the West, he obtained the noble renown due to his faith; and having
preached righteousness to the whole world, and having come to the
extremity of the West, and having borne witness before rulers, he
departed at length out of the world, and went to the holy place, having
become the greatest example of patience.
Chapter 6
To
these men, who walked in holiness, there was gathered a great multitude
of the elect, who, having suffered, through envy, many insults and
tortures, became a most excellent example among us. 6:2 Through envy
women were persecuted, even the Danaides and Dircae, who, after enduring
dreadful and unholy insults, attained to the sure course of the faith;
and they who were weak in body received a noble reward. 6:3 Envy hath
estranged the minds of wives from their husbands, and changed the saying
of our father Adam: This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.
6:4 Envy and strife have overthrown mighty cities and rooted out great
nations.
Chapter 10
"Owing
to the sudden and repeated calamities and misfortunes which have
befallen us [probably referring to the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius
in 79 A.D., which produced a great fire in Rome] we must acknowledge
that we are somewhat tardy in turning our attention to the matters in
dispute among you, beloved; and especially that abominable and unholy
sedition, alien and foreign to the elect of God, which a few rash and
self-willed persons have enflamed to such madness, that your venerable
and illustrious name, worthy to be loved by all men, has been greatly
defamed."
Chapter 21"Our
Apostles knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be strife
for the office of bishop. For this reason, therefore, having received
perfect knowledge, they appoint those who have already been mentioned,
and afterwards added the further provision that, if they should die,
other approved men should succeed to their ministry. As for these, then,
who were appointed by them, or who afterwards appointed by other
illustrious men with the consent of the whole Church, and who have
ministered to the flock of Christ without blame, humbly, peaceably and
with dignity, and who have for many years received the commendations of
all, we consider it unjust that they be removed from the ministry. Our
sin will not be small if we eject from the episcopate those who
blamelessly and holily have offered its Sacrifices. Blessed are those
presbyters [priests] who have already finished their course, and who
have obtained a fruitful and perfect release; for they have now no fear
that any shall transfer them from the place appointed [by Almighty God].
For we see that in spite of their good service you have removed some
from their ministry in which they served without blame."
Chapter 28a"If
anyone disobey the things which have been said by Him through us, let
them know that they will involve themselves in transgression and in no
small danger. We, however, shall be innocent of this sin, and will pray
with earnest entreaty and supplication that the Creator of all may keep
unharmed the number of His elect, which have been counted up in the
whole world, through His beloved child Jesus Christ, through whom He has
called us from darkness to light, and from ignorance to the full
knowledge of the glory of His name."
Chapter 29
"You
will afford us joy and gladness if, being obedient to the things which
we have written through the Holy Spirit, you will root out the wicked
passion of jealousy, in accord with the plea for peace and concord which
we have made in this letter."