Saint Pope Cletus

 

26 APRIL 2025. Sticking with the focus on all-things-Papal at the moment. Just a reminder that today the Church remembers Saint Pope Cletus (Anacletus), whom we know from the Roman Canon of the Mass.

The third pope, he died a martyr--as nearly all of the early Popes did--in about AD 91. While not much remains for us to know of the history of his papacy, he is credited with ordaining a number of priests. Histories also lead us to believe that he worked directly with St. Peter and divided Rome into a number of parishes.

Having suffered martyrdom, his leadership of the Church of Rome flowered in his example of selfless love.

 IMAGE: 16th century painting of Anacletus, in the I Gesuiti, Venice, by Palma il Giovane, with anachronistic papal tiara

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