[Officium]
St. Evaristus, Pope and Martyr

[Name]
Evaristus

[Lectio93]
Evaristus was by birth a Greek Jew, and held the Popedom in the reign of the Emperor Trajan. He it was who divided among the Priests the titles of the Churches in the city of Rome, and commanded that seven Deacons should attend the Bishop when he was executing his office of Gospel preaching. He it was who commanded, in accordance with the tradition of the Apostles, that marriages should be celebrated openly, and that a Priest should be asked to invoke a blessing thereon. He ruled the Church for nine years and three months. He held four Ordinations in the month of December, wherein he ordained seventeen Priests, two Deacons, and fifteen Bishops. Having finished his testimony, he was buried upon the Vatican, hard by the grave of the Prince of the Apostles, upon the 26th day of October, (in the year of our Lord 112.)
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