Pope Anicetus

Anicetus (c. 92/100 in Emesa, today Hims on the Orontes; ? † April 17 () 160/166 () in Rome? ) Was bishop of Rome from about 154 to 166 He was Assyrians from Emesa.

During his pontificate, Polycarp of Smyrna visited the Roman Church. He and Anicetus discussed the date of Easter, which is the church of Smyrna to the Jewish Passover, celebrated during the Roman church always celebrated on a Sunday, as it was the day of the resurrection of the Lord, so also the Sunday is the holy day in Christianity. Anicetus and Polycarp could not agree, but Anicetus allowed Polycarp to follow his tradition. This controversy flared up in the coming centuries as Easter controversy again.

Even the Christian historian Hegesippus visited Rome at that time. This visit is often taken as evidence for the importance of the bishops of Rome to the Church.

Anicetus was the first bishop of Rome, who condemned a heresy by forbidding Montanism. He introduced himself publicly against the Gnostics and the Marcionism. According to the Liber Pontificalis Anicetus commanded that priests must not wear long hair (maybe because the Gnostics wore so ). However, this was only for the Western Church a universal practice.

That Anicetus as martyrs died ( at a 16, 17 or April 20 ), is regarded as unhistorical. His feast day is 17 April.

The name means " The Undefeated " (Greek )