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Holy Hieromartyr Clement, Bishop of Rome 12/8/2013
Born in Rome into a rich and princely family, Saint Clement was a contemporary of the Apostles. Travelling by sea, his mother and his two brothers were scattered on all parts of the world and his father who went to look for his wife and sons never came back. When Clement was twenty four years of age, he set out for the Eastern lands in search for his parents and brothers. In Alexandria he met the Apostle Barnabas and then joined the Holy Apostle Peter who was already followed by his brothers Faustus and Faustianus. By divine Providence the Apostle Peter found Clement’s mother in the face of an old beggar woman, and then also his father. Thus, the family reunited and they all together returned to Rome as Christians. Saint Clement continued to follow the Great Apostle who ordained him Bishop of the city of Rome shortly before his death. After the martyrdom of Saint Peter, there followed on the throne of the Bishop of Rome Saint Linus, succeeded by Saint Anacletus – both of them for a short period – and then came next Saint Clement. Saint Clement governed the Church of God with fervent zeal and day after day he converted to the faith of Christ multitudes of unbelievers. He appointed seven scribes to write down the hagiographies of the martyrs who suffered for their Lord at that time. The Emperor Trajan ordered the exile of Clement to Chersonesus where he found over two thousand exiled Christians. They were all engaged in hard labour as convicts in the marble quarries there, amidst a scarcity of water. The Christians received Saint Clement with great joy and he became their living spring of comfort. Springs of water flowed in the desert in answer to his prayers. He converted many of the native population into Christianity and in a year he built seventy five churches. In order to prevent him from further spreading the faith in Christ, he was condemned to death by drowning with an anchor about his neck in the year 101. Many centuries had past before Saints Cyril and Methodius took out his miracle working relics from the sea.
