Pope Saint Clement I was a disciple of Saint Peter, and perhaps of Saint Paul. It is believed that the Clement whom Saint Paul praises as a faithful fellow- worker, whose name is written in the Book of Life was Pope Clement.
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According to Tertullian, Pope Clement succeeded Saint Peter immediately in the episcopal government of the Church at Rome. But in the list of bishops given us by Irenaeus and Eusebius he occupies the third place after the apostle, that is, after Linus and Cletus (Anacletus).
The legend of the martyrdom of Saint Clement relates that, in the reign of Trajan, when Mamertinus was prefect of the city, and Toractianus count of the offices, a sedition arose among the rabble of Rome against the Christians, and especially against Pope Clement. Mamertinus interfered to put down the riot, and having arrested the Pope, sent him to the emperor, who ordered his banishment to Pontus, where he was condemned to work in the marble quarries. He found many Christians among his fellow-convicts and comforted and encouraged them.
The only spring of drinking water was six miles off, and it was a great hardship to the convicts to have to fetch it all from such a distance. One day Saint Clement saw a lamb scraping at the soil with one of its forefeet. He took it as a sign that water was there; dug and found a spring.
As Pope Clement succeeded in converting many pagans, he was sent to Aufidianus, the prefect, who ordered him to be drowned in the sea with an old anchor attached to his neck. His body was recovered by his disciple Phoebus. The relics of Saint Clement were translated to Constantinople in 860 by Saint Cyril on his return from his mission to the Chazars. Some of the relics found their way to Rome, and were deposited in the church of San Clemente, where they are still reverently preserved.
Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Alexander Nevski
2. Saint Amphilocus
3. Saint Felicitas of Rome
4. Saint Paternian
5. Saint Paulhen