Editing Pope Anicetus

{{Short description|Head of the Catholic Church from c. 157 to 168}}
{{confused|Pope Anacletus}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Pope
| honorific-prefix = [[Pope Saint]]
| name = Anicetus
| title = [[Bishop of Rome]]
| church = [[Catholic Church]]
| term_start = c. 157
| term_end = c. 20 April 168
| predecessor = [[Pope Pius I|Pius I]]
| successor = [[Pope Soter|Soter]]
| birth_date = late 1st century
| birth_place = [[Homs#Emesani dynasty and Roman rule|Emesa]], [[Roman Syria|Syria]], [[Roman Empire]]
| death_date = April 168
| death_place = [[Rome]], [[Roman Italy|Italy]], [[Roman Empire]]
| feast_day = 20 April<ref name=MR/> (West)<br>17 April<ref>{{in lang|el}} [http://www.saint.gr/1955/saint.aspx Άγιος Ανίκητος ο Ιερομάρτυρας πάπας Ρώμης Ορθόδοξος Συναξαριστής]</ref> (East)
| attributes = [[Papal tiara]], palm branch
| image = Wolnzach, St Laurentius 017.JPG
| caption = Statue of Pope St. Anicetus from [[St. Laurentius, Holzkirchen]] in [[Wolnzach]], [[Bavaria]], [[Germany]]
}}
'''Pope Anicetus''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Ανίκητος) was the [[bishop of Rome]] from c. 157 to his death in April 168.<ref name="ce">Campbell, Thomas (1907). "Pope St. Anicetus" in ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company.</ref> According to the ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'', the start of his papacy may have been 153. Anicetus actively opposed [[Gnosticism]] and [[Marcionism]]. He welcomed [[Polycarp of Smyrna]] to [[Rome]] to discuss the [[Easter controversy]].
==Biography==
According to the ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'', Anicetus was a [[Syrians|Syrian]] from the city of [[Emesa]] (modern-day Homs).<ref name=Pontif>{{Cite book
    |publisher = Liverpool University Press
    |ol = 8283722M
    |isbn = 9780853235453
    |author = Raymond Davis
    |title = Book of the Pontiffs (Liber Pontificalis) (Liverpool University Press - Translated Texts for Historians)
    |year = 2000
 |publication-date = January 1, 2001|page=5
    }}</ref>

According to [[Irenaeus]], it was during his pontificate that the aged Polycarp of Smyrna, a disciple of [[John the Evangelist]], visited Rome to discuss the celebration of [[Easter]] with Anicetus. Polycarp and his Church of Smyrna celebrated the crucifixion on the [[Quartodeciman|fourteenth day of Nisan]], which coincides with [[Pesach]] (or Passover) regardless of which day of the week upon this date fell, while the Roman Church celebrated Easter on Sunday—the weekday of [[Jesus]]'s [[resurrection]]. The two did not agree on a common date, but Anicetus conceded to Polycarp and the Church of Smyrna the ability to retain the date to which they were accustomed. The controversy was to grow heated in the following centuries.<ref name=Irenaeus>Irenaeus, cited in Eusebius, ''Historia Ecclesiastica'', 5.24; translated by G.A. Williamson, ''Eusebius: History of the Church'' (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1965), pp. 232f</ref>

The Christian historian [[Hegesippus (chronicler)|Hegesippus]] also visited [[Rome]] during Anicetus's pontificate. This visit is often cited as a sign of the early importance of the [[Roman See]].<ref name=Irenaeus/>

Anicetus actively opposed the [[Gnostic]]s and [[Marcionism]].<ref>[https://www.bartleby.com/lit-hub/lives-of-the-saints/volume-iv-april/st-anicetus-pope-and-martyr/ Butler, Alban. "St. Anicetus, Pope and Martyr", ''The Lives of the Saints'', Vol. IV: April. 1866]</ref> The ''Liber Pontificalis'' records that Anicetus decreed that priests are not allowed to have long hair (perhaps because the Gnostics wore long hair).<ref name=Pontif/>

According to church tradition, Anicetus suffered [[martyrdom]] during the reign of Emperor [[Lucius Verus]], but there are no historical grounds for this account.<ref name=CR>Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1969), p. 120</ref> 16, 17 and 20 April are all cited as the date of his death, but 20 April is currently celebrated as his [[feast day]].<ref name=MR>Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2001 {{ISBN|88-209-7210-7}})</ref> Before 1970, the date chosen was 17 April.<ref name=CR/> The ''Liber Pontificalis'' states he was buried in the [[Catacomb of Callixtus|cemetery of Callistus]].<ref name=Pontif/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Christianity|History}}
*[[List of popes]]
*[[Quartodeciman]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Anicetus|Pope Anicetus}}
* {{Cite CE1913 |wstitle=Pope St. Anicetus |first=Thomas Joseph |last=Campbell |volume=1}}
* Duff, Eamon. ''Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes'', Yale University Press, 2001, p.&nbsp;13. {{ISBN|0-300-09165-6}}
* Maxwell-Stuart, P. G. ''Chronicle of the Popes: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Papacy from St. Peter to the Present'', Thames & Hudson, 2002, p.&nbsp;19. {{ISBN|0-500-01798-0}}.
* {{Hl-Lex|b|Anicetus.html|Anicetus}}
* [http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/01_01_0155-0166-_Anicetus,_Sanctus.html Collected works of Migne Patrologia Latina]

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|grt}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Pius I]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Bishop of Rome]]|years=154–167}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Pope Soter|Soter]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Popes}}
{{Catholic saints}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anicetus, Pope}}
[[Category: Syrian Christian saints]]

[[Category:168 deaths]]
[[Category:2nd-century Christian saints]]
[[Category:2nd-century Romans]]
[[Category:Ancient Christians involved in controversies]]
[[Category:Christian anti-Gnosticism]]
[[Category:Asian popes]]
[[Category:Saints from Roman Italy]]
[[Category:Papal saints]]
[[Category:People from Homs]]
[[Category:Popes]]
[[Category:Syrian popes]]
[[Category:Saints from Roman Syria]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:2nd-century popes]]
[[Category:Date of Easter]]
[[Category:2nd-century religious leaders]]