St. Evaristus was the fourth successor of St. Peter—following popes Linus, Cletus, and Clement—and the last pope of the first century AD.

He was son of a Greek Jew from Bethlehem. Legend has it that he divided Rome into seven parishes and assigned seven deacons to serve them. He has been known as a martyr, but this has not been proven. He is probably buried near St. Peter in the Vatican.

His relics rest in the Basilica reliquary chapel.

St. Evaristus, early pope of the Church, pray for us!

Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Evaristus is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed October 4, 2024.