Pope Evaristus (Greek: Ευάριστος) was the bishop of Rome from c. 99/100 to his death in 107/108. He was also known as Aristus and is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, and Oriental Orthodoxy. It is likely that John the Apostle died during his reign period, marking the end of the Apostolic Age.

Biography

According to the Liber Pontificalis, he was a Greek by birth, fathered by a Jew named Judah from the city of Bethlehem. Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History, states that Evaristus took office in the 3rd year of Trajan's reign, which correspond to AD 99/100, and died in the 12th year of the same reign (AD 108/109) after holding the office for nine years. He divided titles among the priests in the city of Rome, and ordained seven deacons to assist with the bishop's preaching. According to Reverend John F. Sullivan, Evaristus decreed that “in accordance with Apostolic tradition marriage should be celebrated publicly and with the blessing of the priest”. Liber Pontificalis further describes him as the one "crowned with martyrdom". The same is indicated also by French historian Alexis-François Artaud de Montor. However, in the Roman Martyrology he is listed without the martyr title, with a feast day on 26 October. Pope Evaristus is buried near the body of Saint Peter in the Vatican, in the Saint Peter's tomb under the Saint Peter's Basilica.