Feastday: October 26
Death: 107
St. Evaristus succeeded St. Clement in the See of Rome in the reign of Trajan and governed the Church about eight years, being the fourth successor of St. Peter. The Liber Pontificalis says that he was the son of a Hellenic Jew of Bethlehem, and, certainly incorrectly, that he 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, but his martyrdom is not proved; it is probable that St. Evaristus was buried near ST. Peter's tomb in the Vatican. His feast day is October 26th.
5th Pope of the Catholic Church from c. 99 to c. 107Pope Evaristus was the fifth bishop of Rome from c. 99 to his death c. 107. He was also known as Aristus. He is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, and Oriental Orthodoxy. It is likely that he was the bishop of Rome when John the Apostle died, marking the end of the Apostolic Age.
Biography
Little is known about Evaristus. According to the Liber Pontificalis, he came from a family of Greek Jews living in Bethlehem. He was elected during the reign of the Roman emperor Trajan, and succeeded Clement I in the See of Rome.
Eusebius, in his Church History IV, I, stated that Evaristus died in the 12th year of the reign of 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, assigning a priest to each, and appointed seven deacons for the city.
He is usually accorded the title of martyr. However, Pope Evaristus is listed without that title in the Roman Martyrology, with a feast day on 26 October. It is probable that Evaristus was buried near Saint Peter's tomb in the Vatican. It is also probable that John the Apostle died during the beginning of Evaristus' reign.
