Evaristus

Saint Evaristus was bishop of Rome at the end of the first and the beginning of the second century, after Saint Clement. He is honoured as a saint of the undivided Church; Wikipedia says he is venerated also by the Orthodox Church, and the Roman Martyrology commemorates him on 26 October. Very little is known of his life.

Eusebius of Caesarea says that he took office in the third year of the Emperor Trajan, that is in 99 or 100, and died in the twelfth year of that reign, after nine years. The ancient sources agree neither on his place in the list of bishops nor on his years; the Liberian Catalogue, which calls him Aristus, gives him more than thirteen years.

The Liber Pontificalis, a later writing, says that he was a Greek, son of a Hellenic Jew named Judah from Bethlehem; historians doubt this. According to the same work he divided the churches called titles among the priests of Rome and ordained seven deacons to assist him in preaching. He is also credited with the rule that marriage be celebrated publicly with the priest's blessing. These reports are unproven, and the two letters circulated under his name are not his.

The Liber Pontificalis calls him a martyr, but no historical evidence confirms it. Tradition says he was buried near Saint Peter on the Vatican hill.