2025/11/16 SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Feast of St. Clement
- Scott Kumer, Associate Director of Liturgy & Music
On the weekend of November 15-16, we will celebrate the Feast Day of our Patron, St. Clement of Rome. We’re looking forward to coming together as one parish family to honor our beloved patron, celebrate his legacy, and give thanks for all that God continues to do in our community. We hope to see you there!
Some readers probably already know quite a bit about St. Clement, and others perhaps not so much. Here are several key points that can serve as a refresher or as an introduction.
St. Clement is also called Pope Clement I or Clement of Rome. He is traditionally regarded as the fourth Bishop of Rome (c. 88-99), following Saint Peter, Saint Linus, and Saint Anacletus.
St. Clement is believed to have been a Roman of Jewish descent and possibly connected to the imperial court.
Early Christian tradition claims St. Clement was a disciple of the Apostles Peter and Paul. In fact, Paul references a "Clement" in Philippians 4:3, and this Clement is generally identified as Clement of Rome.
He is remembered for helping to establish the early organizational structure and oversight of the Church in Rome, and for authoring the First Epistle to the Corinthians, one of the earliest non-New Testament writings, which addressed divisions in the Corinthian church and emphasized obedience, humility, and Church unity.
St. Clement bridged the Apostolic and Patristic eras, embodying continuity with the earliest Christian teachings.
Tradition holds that, under Emperor Trajan, St. Clement was banished to Crimea where he labored in marble quarries and was martyred. Around 99 AD, he was thrown into the Black Sea after having been tied to an anchor, the anchor becoming one of his symbols.
His relics are believed to have been rediscovered in Crimea by Sts. Cyril and Methodius, who translated some of them to Rome; they rest in the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome.
He is venerated as the patron saint of mariners and all who travel by sea, stonecutters and anchorsmiths, and sick children.
In addition to the above, there are many other details contained in his hagiography and miracles attributed to his intercession.
One prominent symbol for our parish is St. Clement’s anchor. I’ve heard several people remark that it’s strange, maybe even a little grim, that as a parish we have embraced the anchor, given that it was an instrument of torture and a terrible means by which to die as a martyr.
Personally, I prefer to think about it differently. Yes, the anchor can be disturbing, but it’s not more disturbing than the Cross, is it? Our Lord was crucified on the Cross, and now the Cross is a sign of forgiveness, salvation, victory over death, blessing, healing, hope, and comfort. The Cross is ubiquitous in our art, architecture, and rituals. How many times have you blessed yourself by making the Sign of the Cross? It’s illuminating that the anchor – among other symbols like the fish and the dove – was an early Christian ‘secret marker’ used during the Roman persecution, when the Cross itself could not be safely used as an identifier. So St. Clement’s anchor also embodies this important aspect of our shared Christian heritage, connecting us to the persecuted believers who came before us and, with Divine assistance, nurtured their faith amid great hardship.
The anchor is also a sign of St. Clement’s steadfast belief in the Lord and His promises (“…hope as an anchor of the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19), and it signifies beauty and holiness in our own time: for example, the vitality of Saint Clement Parish, the numerous souls who are drawn here, and the corporal and spiritual works of mercy that we engage in to reach out to others and share the Catholic faith. The anchor is a sign of welcome, community, stability, spiritual embrace, and continual conversion of heart for each one of us.
What do St. Clement, his heroic example, and his anchor mean to you?
Click here to read more about our five parish anchors: belong, pray, learn, serve, share.