Pope Evaristus

Who was Pope Evaristus?

Pope Evaristus is accounted the fifth Bishop of Rome, from c. 99 to his death c. 107. He was also known as Aristus.

Little is known about St Evaristus. According to the Liber Pontificalis, he came from a family of Hellenic Jewish origin living in Bethlehem. He was elected during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian, the time of the second general persecution and succeeded St Clement in the See of Rome.

Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History IV, I, stated that Evaristus died in the 12th year of the reign of the Roman Emperor Trajan, after holding the office of bishop of the Romans for eight years. He is said by the Liber Pontificalis to have divided Rome into several "titles" or Parishes, assigning a priest to each, and appointed seven deacons for the city.

He is usually accorded the title of martyr; however, there is no confirmation of this in the case of Pope Evaristus, who is listed without that title in the Roman Martyrology, with a feast day on 26 October. It is probable that St Evaristus was buried near St Peter's tomb in the Vatican. It is also probable that St. John the apostle died during the beginning of Evaristus' reign.