Clement of Rome

 Our second post this month comes from one of my favorite basilicas that I had the joy of visiting in Rome. The Basilica of San Clemente is within walking distance of the Coliseum.  The sacred art in the Basilica is awe inspiring and the history is fascinating. But the Saint himself is also worth knowing better.

St. Clement of Rome was the 4th Bishop of Rome (the fourth Pope). Little is known about his life. Some believe that he was ordained by St. Peter and was St. Paul's "fellow-laborer", but the timeline of his papacy makes both questionable at best. Some sources say that he was imprisoned by Emperor Trajan and executed by being tied to an anchor and thrown into the sea. Other sources say that he was exiled to Greece and died in exile - possibly again by martyrdom. St. Cyril found what he believed to be the relics of Clement in Crimea, buried with and anchor on dry land. Cyril brought the relics to Rome and these are now enshrined in the Basilica of Saint Clement in Rome.

Clement's letter to the church in Corinth is his only surviving writing and one of the oldest extant Christian writings outside of the New Testament. Some early congregations read Clement's letter in the liturgy on par with other New Testament writings. He is counted as the first of the "Apostolic Fathers."

Clement reigned as Pope for about 7 years and died about the year 100. He is the patron Saint of Mariners and Stone Cutters. His feast day is celebrated on Nov 23 in the Catholic and Lutheran traditions, on Nov 24 in the Byzantine Church and on Nov 25 in the Russian Orthodox. 

St. Clement, pray for us.