Clement of rome is believed to have been the fourth bishop of rome and served during the last decade of the first century. Saint clement i, byname clement of rome, latin clemens romanus, born, rome. On this issue, the modern scholarly consensus is in agreement with the testimony of the earliest christians, who say that clement was the third bishop of rome or fourth, if you count st. When clement wrote this epistle on behalf of the church in rome, he was one of a college of elders who were all called bishops. St clement, bishop of rome november 23 early christians. Pope clement i called clemens romanus to distinguish him from the alexandrian, is the first of the successors of st. The true clement has two references to the same pp. The epistle is addressed as the church of god which sojourneth in rome to the church of god which sojourneth in corinth. Praise of the corinthians before the breaking forth of schism among them.
Peter ordained him bishop, by which some understand that he made him a bishop of nations, to preach the gospel in many countries. Clement, in the name of the church of rome, wrote to them his excellent epistle, a piece highly extolled and esteemed in the primitive church as an admirable work, as eusebius calls it. St clement, bishop of rome in the last years of the first century, was the third successor of peter, after linus and anacletus. Peter of whom anything definite is known, and he is the first of the apostolic fathers. While clement is traditionally identified as a pope, there is no evidence for monarchical bishops in rome at such an early date. It seems to have been soon after the death of domitian in 96, that st. He is known to us mostly through his famous letter to the church at corinth. Clement of rome an appendix containing the newly recovered portions, with introductions, notes, and translations. The first epistle of clement, literally, clement to corinth. What is generally accepted is that during the last decade of the first century clement addressed an epistle to the church at corinth. Introductory note to the first epistle of clement to the. Clement was said to have been consecrated by peter, and he is known to have been a leading member of the church in rome in the late 1st century. The most important testimony concerning his life comes from st. He wrote two early works, 1 and 2 clement, which have survived until today.
Clement at rome lies in the valley between the esquiline and coelian hills, on the direct road from the coliseum to the lateran. The epistle is customarily dated to the end of the reign of domitian 95 or 96 c. Clement, bishop of rome during his march 7, 2007 general audience, pope benedict xvi continued his catechesis on the origins of the church, this time focusing on the apostolic fathers. Clement of rome was the first significant writer of the church whose works were not included in the new testament. Dear brothers and sisters, in these past months we have meditated on the figures of the individual apostles and on the first witnesses of the christian faith who are mentioned in the new testament writings.
After the death of the apostles, for the roman imprisonment and martyrdom of st. Irenaeus of lyon lists him as a contemporary of the. Around 96, he sent a letter from the church of rome to the church of corinth, a major city in northeastern greece and the site of st. Clement of rome was the third successor of peter the apostle as bishop of rome, and therefore, our fourth pope. The new testament does not speak of an antichrist appearing in our time, but does speak of those who oppose christ in the new testament period. His writings lead us to think he was a jew with a good knowledge of greek philosophy and of sacred scriptures. Clement is counted as the third bishop of rome after the apostles. The epistle to the corinthians st clement was the fourth bishop of rome after st peter, linus, and cletus from year 92 to 101. Ignatius of antioch in the high altar of the basilica of st. Clement of rome was a first century convert who had that wonderful privilege. Information on first clement on the internal evidence for the dating of 1 clement, welborn writes the anchor bible dictionary, v.
Peter seem historical, clement was the natural representative of st. Clement is first mentioned as a martyr by rufinus c. Teach us, o lord, to hope in your name, which is the source and fount of all creation. This letter, known as clements first epistle to the corinthians doc, is most.
Open the eyes of our hearts to know you, who alone are highest amid the highest, and ever abides holy amidst the holy. Paul, and even of his companion, the apostle of the circumcision. After paul and peter were martyred at rome, clement become a leader, in fact, bishop, of the church there. Clement, bishop of rome in the last years of the first century, was the third successor of peter, after linus and anacletus. Clement of rome was the first major writer of the church whose work is not included in the new testament. The most important testimony concerning his life comes from st irenaeus, bishop of lyons until 202.
Their claim is about an individual, the bishop of rome. On the internal evidence for the dating of 1 clement, welborn writes the anchor bible dictionary, v. Irenaeus, origin, clemens of alexandria, and others of the ancients, assert that clement was a disciple of the apostles. The modern claim made by rome is that the bishop of rome the pope has full, supreme, and universal authority over the whole church lumen gentium, sec. With its atrium, its choir enclosed by a wall, its ambos, it is the most perfect model of an early basilica in rome, though it was built as late as the first years of the.
According to tertullian, clement was consecrated by saint peter. His predecessors are linus and cletus or anacletus, or anencletus, about whom almost nothing is known. Its easy to see why for the first couple hundred years even eusebius, bp. Pope clement i, also known as saint clement of rome, is listed by irenaeus and tertullian as bishop of rome, holding office from 88 to his death in 99. Pope zozimus in a letter to africa in 417 relates the trial and partial acquittal of the heretic caelestius in the basilica of st. It is now in the hands of the irish province of dominicans. Here i present a brief summary of what we know from later fathers about st. Ignatius of antioch ancient christian writers series wherefore let us forsake idle and vain thoughts. Clement, bishop of rome, was responding to reports about troubles again with those pesky corinthian christians. It ranks with didache and the gospel of thomas as one of the earliest, if not the. Grace unto you, and peace, from almighty god through jesus christ, be multiplied.
According to the early christian writer tertullian, he was consecrated by peter. The church of god which sojourns at rome, to the church of god sojourning at corinth, to them that are called and sanctified by the will of god, through our lord jesus christ. Cyril to rome, and deposited by adrian ii with those of st. He has left one genuine writing, a letter to the church of corinth, and many others have been attributed to him. If you look in your new testament at philippians 4.
Peter preach, and was instructed in his school, as 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. Clement is a little more than this, chiefly because he wrote a letter to the corinthians, which was highly valued by the early church, and. But the discovery of a new syriac source for the text in 1876, while not affecting the general problem, gave to patristic scholars more abundant critical material.
Peter, reigning as pope during the last decade of the first century. Hes known as one of the churchs five apostolic fathers, those who provided a direct link between the apostles and later generations of church fathers. He is considered to be the first apostolic father of the church, one of the three chief ones together with polycarp and ignatius of antioch. Tradition claims that the apostle peter appointed him bishop of rome, but this seems dubious. Ignatius, bishop of smyrna at the beginning of the second century, are addressed to six christian communities. The epistle is dated customarily to the end of the reign of emperor domitian, that is 95 or 96 ad.