Clement

CLEMENT. There is mention of Clement in S. Paul’s Epistle to the PhilippiansPhilip. iv. 3.. S. Paul says, Clement’s name is written in the Book of Life. The generality of the Fathers and other Interpreters make no question, but that this is the same Clement who succeeded S. Peter after Linus and Cletus, in the Government of the Church of Rome, and the Church seems to intimate the same thing, when in the Office on S. Clement’s day, it appoints this part of the Epistle to the Philippians to be read. Grotius on the contrary is of opinion, that Clement, whom S. Paul speaks of, was no more than a Priest of the Church of Philippi.

We find many things relating to the Life of Clement in the Recognitions and Constitutions called Apostolical: But as these Works are not believed to be authentick, tho’ there may be many truths in them derived from the Tradition of the first Ages, we dare not lay any great stress upon their Testimony. S. Chrysostom¹ thinks, that Clement whom S. Paul speaks of in his Epistle to the Philippians, was one of this Apostle’s constant fellow Travellers. S. Irenæus², Origen³, Clemens of Alexandria⁴, and others of the Antients, assert, that Clement was a Disciple of the Apostles; that he had seen them, and heard their Instructions. S. Epiphanius, Jerom, Rufinus, Bede, and some others were of opinion, that as the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul could not be continually at Rome, by reason of the frequent Journies which they were obliged to make to other Places, and it was not proper that the City of Rome should be without a Bishop, there was a necessity to supply the want of them, by establishing Linus, Anaclet, and Clement there. The Constitutions⁵ inform us, that Linus was ordained by S. Paul.⁶ Tertullian and Epiphanius⁷ say, that S. Peter ordained Clement. Rufinus v tells us, that this Apostle chose S. Clement for his Successor: But Epiphanius believes, that after he had been made Bishop of Rome by S. Peter, he refused to exercise this Office, till after the death of Linus and Anaclet; he was obliged to take upon him the care of the Church: And this is the most generally received Opinion. The immediate Successor of S. Peter was Linus; Linus was succeeded by Anacletus, and Anacletus by w S. Clement, in the year of J. C. 91, which was the tenth of Domitian’s reign.

During his Pontificate, the Church of Corinth having been disturbed by the spirit of division, S. Clement wrote a large Letter to the Corinthians, which is still remaining, and was so much esteemed by the Antients, that they read it publickly in many Churches; and some have been inclined to range it among the Canonical Writings. The Emperor Domitian intending to declare War against the Church of Jesus Christ, a revelation of his design was made to Hermas, and he ordered to give a copy of it to Pope Clement⁸, that he might communicate it to other Churches, and exhort them to provide against the Storm. We have no certain Accounts of what happened to S. Clement during this Persecution, but we know, and are very well assured,⁹ that he lived to the third year of Trajan, which is the hundredth of J. C. His Festival is set down by Bede, and all the Latin Martyrologies on the twenty third of November. The Greeks honour him on the twenty fourth or twenty fifth of the same Month. Rufinus and Pope Zozimus give him the Title of Martyr, and the Church in its Canon places him among the Saints who have sacrificed their Lives for Jesus Christ.

We read in an antient History, to which however there are some exceptions, that S. Clement was banished by Trajan to the Chersonesus, beyond the Euxin Sea: That he produced a Fountain by his Prayers, for the service of other holy Confessors, who were banished to the same place with him; that after about a year’s abode there, he converted all the Country round about; that Trajan sent an Officer thither, by whose order Clement was drowned in the Sea, with an Anchor fastned to his neck; that the Sea afterwards retired as far as the place where his Body was thrown into it, which was at a full league’s distance from the Shore, and that the Christians going thither, found his Body in a Stone Monument under a Temple all made of Marble; and that every year the Sea retired in the same manner on the Festival day of this Saint, and left the Faithful the liberty of visiting his Grave.

Read this article in its place on the printed pages