Pope Clement I

Clement I, also Clement of Rome and Clement of Rome (c. 50 in Rome, † 97 (or 101) in Rome or in the Crimea ), is counted among the Apostolic Fathers. He was the second or third bishop of Rome the successor of the Apostle Peter. He is the author of the first letter Clemens and the first significant figure of Christianity by Paul of Tarsus, is of the more extensive and reliable source material.

Life and work

Little is known about his life. He was probably Hellenistic Jew with a good knowledge of the scriptures and thorough philosophical education. His tenure as bishop is dated to 88 to 97, but this is uncertain. In the list of the bishops of Rome, he is after Peter and Linus, but ( as Irenaeus of Lyon) listed as the third ( so Augustine and Optatus of Mileve ) or after Anacletus as fourth before Anacletus. Some researchers assume that he belonged to the servants of Titus Flavius ​​Clemens, one in 95 because of " godlessness " executed cousin of the Emperor Domitian. Others even maintain an identity of the two possible, as suggested by the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies from the 3rd century. Clemens was related to many important men of the imperial family, and his father had grown up with the Emperor together. One can not identify with the Clement of Philippians ( Phil 4,3 EU), as Origen did Clement of Rome. Moreover, since it in the 1st century was no monarchical episcopate - even in the first Epistle of Clement only evidence of elders are to find - is the question of the dating of his term of minimum weight. During his working life leading members of the Roman nobility and the imperial family itself should have turned to the Christian faith. According to Tertullian, the apostle John is said to have also suffered at that time in Rome martyrdom.

The San Clemente church in Rome is supposedly the foundations of his house.

Clemens- letters

Clemens later achieved fame through the widely read first Epistle of Clement. The extremely long letter consists of 65 chapters. In it, he describes the situation of the Roman church at the end of the first century that held firmly in faith and love, even under persecution. The letter documents the very early judicial influence of the bishops of Rome to other communities or at least attempt to do so. He is responsible for the history of the papacy of great interest. Clemens recalled " that the individual members of the Body of Christ according to the received calling to get various services and tasks. The distinction between the hierarchical offices of the services of the faithful represents is not a problem " for the first time in Christian literature Clemens uses the Greek term Laikos ( layman ), which means member of the laos ( people of God ). The letter was written probably shortly after the persecution of Domitian ( 95-96 AD). Reason to do so gave turmoil in the church of Corinth; some younger members of the community had risen against the elders ( presbyters ) and displaced from their position.

Other Clemens attributed letters apply across the board as not authentic. The second Epistle of Clement is, even if he does not come from Clemens, yet important than the probably oldest preserved nachneutestamentliche Christian preaching.

Legend and worship

In the 9th century, the legend was popular that Clemens was martyred in the Crimea, earlier sources, however, write him a natural death. According to legend, St. Clement was sunk to an anchor in the sea. On the seabed, a temple had arisen in which his remains were preserved. Once a year, it goes on to the sea to have shared miraculously and the pilgrims allows a path to the grave temple. It is even claimed that once a child has been forgotten in the temple of the mother and a year later, when the temple was reopened, she said, had intact.

His Protestant, Anglican and Roman Catholic feast day is November 23, the day of his funeral, which is also referred to as anchor tag. In addition, can be found as a memorial November 24 (Orthodox and Armenian ), November 25 (Orthodox and Coptic ), and January 4, April 22 and September 10 ( Orthodox).

In pictures Clemens is often labeled as pope with an anchor and a fish, sometimes with an additional millstone, keys, a source ( which was caused by his prayers ), or a book.

Patronage

He is Patron

• Of Solingen, Drolshagen, Seville, Aarhus, Compiegne, Steenwijk (NL) and the Crimea;
• The sailors, Hatter, miners, masons, marble workers, and Styria the woodcutter;
• Of children;
• With storm and tempest;
• Against water hazards and teething