Written by Guide Catholic
Pope St. Cletus (3º): First Greek pope — Complete Guide
Pontificate: c. 76 – c. 88 · Origin: Athens, Achaea, Roman Empire · Birth name: Anacletus
St. Cletus was the 3rd pope of the Catholic Church, reigning c. 76 – c. 88 during the apostolic and patristic Church. A peregrinus, free provincial subject of the Roman Empire who was not a Roman citizen. The Catholic Church venerates him as a saint.
Who Was Pope Cletus?
Pope Cletus — 3º in the Catholic list — reigned c. 76 – c. 88 during the apostolic and patristic Church. Search interest often clusters around First Greek pope. A peregrinus, free provincial subject of the Roman Empire who was not a Roman citizen. This Guide Catholic profile gathers background, major acts, and legacy so you can read Cletus beside neighboring pontiffs. Catholics also honor him as a saint whose intercession remains part of living devotion.
Early Life & Background
Born Athenae, Achaea, Roman Empire, he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church.
Historical Context
Cletus (#undefined) shepherded Christians when the faith was still illegal or barely tolerated inside the Roman Empire; records are thin, yet tradition preserves these earliest successors of St. Peter.
Pontificate & Key Events
The pontificate (c. 76 – c. 88) centered on governance during the apostolic and patristic Church. Once erroneously split into Cletus and Anacletus. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with the same feast day.
Papal Acts & Achievements
Acts associated with Cletus (#3, c. 76 – c. 88) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. His reign remains a link in the succession now counted at 267 popes.
Key Highlights
- 3rd pope of the Catholic Church
- Pontificate: c. 76 – c. 88
- Venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church
- Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with the same feast day.
Legacy in the Catholic Church
St. Cletus remains pope 3º in the Annuario Pontificio. The Church still points to Cletus's virtues for imitation. Set against the apostolic and patristic Church, Cletus's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.
Why Catholics Study This Pope Today
Reading Cletus as pope 3º (c. 76 – c. 88) is a way to study how Rome answered the crises of the apostolic and patristic Church. Because the Church venerates Cletus, you may seek his intercession and check his feast in the Martyrology or local calendar. Begin with this documented note: A peregrinus, free provincial subject of the Roman Empire who was not a Roman citizen. Compare Cletus with the biographies of his predecessor and successor linked below to see reform, rupture, or quiet continuity.
Place in the Line of Succession
St. Cletus followed Pope St. Linus (2º, c. 64 – c. 76) after a transition shaped by the politics and piety of their shared century. He was followed by Pope St. Clement I (4º, c. 88 – c. 97), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.