Anacletus of Rome

Holy Hierarch Anacletus of Rome (in Greek Anaklētos, in Latin Anacletus or Anencletus, also called Cletus) was bishop of Rome between the years 76 and 88. The dating of his pontificate to the years 79 to 90 arose in the third and fourth centuries and has no real historical basis. He is commemorated on 20 June.

He was probably born at Athens. He suffered in the persecution of Emperor Domitian. According to the oldest list of the bishops of Rome, preserved in the writings of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons and of Eusebius of Caesarea, Anacletus occupied the see of Rome after Saint Linus, and Anacletus was succeeded by Saint Clement of Rome (88 to 97). In the Catalogus Liberianus and in Epiphanius of Cyprus the form Cletus was also used, doubling the name of Anacletus: according to those sources, Linus was succeeded by Clement, and after him by Cletus and Anacletus. But the later Roman tradition finally separated the two names, placing Cletus before Pope Clement and Anacletus after him. In the Roman calendar they had separate days of commemoration: on 26 April the commemoration of Saint Cletus, and on 13 July that of Anacletus. It is now established that this is one and the same person.