Hieromartyr2nd century

Pope Saint Evaristus of Rome

Died c. 107 (reigned as Bishop of Rome c. 99–107)

Also known as Evaristus · Evaristus of Rome

One of the early bishops of Rome in the sub-apostolic age; venerated as a martyr of the primitive Roman Church.

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Commemorated as

The Holy Hieromartyr Evaristus, Bishop of Rome

Life

Evaristus was one of the earliest bishops of Rome, serving in the sub-apostolic age at the close of the first century and the beginning of the second. Later Roman tradition counts him as the fourth successor of the Apostle Peter, following Clement I, and names Alexander I as his successor.

According to the Liber Pontificalis he was a Greek by birth, the son of a Greek Jew named Judah from Bethlehem in Judaea. Eusebius of Caesarea places the start of his episcopate in the third regnal year of the emperor Trajan and gives him a tenure of roughly nine years, dating his death to about 107 or 108.

He is venerated as a saint in both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, and is traditionally honored as a martyr of the primitive Roman Church, though the historical circumstances of his death are not established with certainty. His feast is kept on October 26.

Timeline4 momentsReadHide

1st centuryOrigins in BethlehemBy the account of the Liber Pontificalis, Evaristus is born in Bethlehem of Judaea, the son of a Greek Jew named Judah, during the period of the Roman Empire.
c. 99–100Becomes Bishop of RomeEvaristus succeeds Clement I as bishop of the Roman Church. Eusebius dates the beginning of his episcopate to the third regnal year of the emperor Trajan.
c. 99–107Organizational reformsThe Liber Pontificalis credits his tenure with dividing the churches of Rome as tituli among the presbyters, ordaining seven deacons to assist the bishop's preaching, and decreeing that marriage be celebrated publicly with a priest's blessing. Later scholarship regards some of these attributions as uncertain, possibly reflecting later institutional developments.
c. 107–108Death and burialAfter about nine years Evaristus dies and is buried in the Vatican, near the tomb of the Apostle Peter beneath what would become Saint Peter's Basilica. He is succeeded by Alexander I. His episcopate roughly coincides with the death of the Apostle John, marking the close of the Apostolic Age.

Contributions & Legacy

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Historical Context

Evaristus belongs to the shadowy line of early Roman bishops known almost entirely through later succession lists rather than contemporary record. Eusebius of Caesarea and Irenaeus of Lyons confirm that he followed Clement in the Roman succession, but little else about him is documented with certainty. His episcopate is generally placed within the reign of Trajan, spanning roughly the years 99 to 107.

The Liber Pontificalis preserves the fullest ancient account of his life, describing his Greek and Judaean origins and his death 'crowned with martyrdom.' Modern historians treat these details cautiously, since the work was compiled long after his lifetime.

Attributed Contributions

Ancient tradition, chiefly the Liber Pontificalis, associates several organizational measures with his tenure: the assignment of definite churches (tituli) to the presbyters of Rome, the ordination of seven deacons to assist the bishop in preaching, and a decree that marriages be celebrated openly and with a priest's blessing according to apostolic custom.

Scholars including the compilers of the Catholic Encyclopedia caution that these attributions are questionable. Such arrangements may represent later developments in the Roman Church's structure retrospectively credited to Evaristus. Two decretals ascribed to him in the Pseudo-Isidorian collection are recognized as forgeries.

Martyrdom and Legacy

The Liber Pontificalis numbers Evaristus among the bishops crowned with martyrdom, and later writers such as the French historian Alexis-François Artaud de Montor likewise assumed he died a violent death. The Roman Martyrology, however, lists him without the designation of martyr, and his martyrdom is described as traditional rather than historically proven.

His episcopate is often taken to mark the end of the Apostolic Age, coinciding with the death of the last surviving apostle, John. He is commemorated on October 26 in both the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic calendars.

Relics & Shrines

Evaristus was interred in the Vatican, near the resting place of the Apostle Peter, within the area beneath the present Saint Peter's Basilica.

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Sources: Wikipedia (Pope Evaristus)