Pope Anacletus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pope Saint Anacletus
Bishop of Rome
Saint Pope Cletus
Church	Catholic Church
Papacy began	c. AD 79
Papacy ended	c. AD 92
Predecessor	Linus
Successor	Clement I
Personal details
Born	c. AD 25 Rome, Roman Empire
Died	26 April 92(92-04-26) (aged 66–67) Rome, Roman Empire
Sainthood
Feast day	26 April 13 July (additional on Tridentine Calendar)
Venerated in	Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church

Pope Anacletus (who died around AD 92) was also known as Cletus. He was the third Pope, or leader of the Catholic Church, after Peter and Linus. Anacletus served as Pope from about AD 79 until his death around AD 92.

He was a Roman citizen. During his time as Pope, he is believed to have ordained many priests. He is also traditionally given credit for setting up about twenty-five parishes (local church communities) in Rome. Anacletus is remembered as a martyr, meaning he died for his faith. His feast day is celebrated on April 26.

Who was Pope Anacletus?

Not much is known for sure about Pope Anacletus's time as Pope. This is common for the very early Popes. Historical records from that time often used different names for him, like Cletus, Anacletus, and Anencletus. They also sometimes listed these names in a different order.

Today, most historians agree that Cletus and Anacletus are the same person. He followed Pope Linus and came before Pope Clement I. It is believed he was Pope for about twelve years. However, the exact dates of his leadership are not certain. Some sources say he was Pope from AD 80 to AD 92, while others suggest AD 76 to AD 88.

What did Pope Anacletus do?

According to tradition, Pope Anacletus played an important role in organizing the early Christian community in Rome. He is said to have divided the city into twenty-five parishes. These were like local church areas, each with its own priest.

One of the few things recorded about his time as Pope is that he ordained a number of priests. This means he officially made them priests, giving them the authority to lead religious services.

Pope Anacletus died as a martyr, which means he was killed because of his Christian faith. A tomb believed to be his is located near St Peter's tomb in the Vatican Necropolis. This is an ancient burial ground beneath St. Peter's Basilica. His name, as Cletus, is still included in the Roman Canon of the Mass, which is a central part of Catholic worship.

How is Pope Anacletus honored?

A statue of Pope Anacletus from the Church of San Cleto in Rome.

Saint Cletus is honored on April 26. This date is his feast day in the Catholic Church. For a long time, there was also a separate feast day for Saint Anacletus on July 13. However, in 1960, Pope John XXIII decided to keep only the April 26 feast day, using the name "Saint Cletus" as he is known in the Mass.

Even though the exact day of his death is not known, Saint Cletus is still listed among the saints celebrated on April 26 in the Roman Martyrology. This is the official list of saints recognized by the Catholic Church.

Pope Anacletus in Literature

In the famous Italian poem, the Divine Comedy, the writer Dante mentions Pope Anacletus. Dante places him in the "Heaven of the Fixed Stars." This shows that Anacletus was considered an important and holy figure in Christian history.

See also

In Spanish: Anacleto para niños