Pope St. Linus

St. Peter was succeeded by St. Linus who governed the Church of Rome from 67 A.D. to 76 A.D. when he was martyred. He is mentioned by name in the Second Letter to Timothy: “Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers send greetings (II Timothy 4:21).”

The earliest witness to Linus's status as bishop was Irenaeus, who in about the year 180 wrote, "The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate." The Oxford Dictionary of Popes interprets Irenaeus as classifying Linus as the first bishop of Rome. Linus is presented by Jerome as "the first after Peter to be in charge of the Roman Church" and by Eusebius as "the first to receive the episcopate of the church at Rome, after the martyrdom of Paul and Peter.” The Apostolic Constitutions denote that Linus, who was consecrated by Paul, was the first bishop of Rome and was succeeded by Clement, who was ordained and consecrated by Peter. Cletus is considered Linus's successor by Irenaeus, and the others cited above, who present Linus either as the first bishop of Rome or, if they give Peter as the first, as the second.

Pope St. Linus is remembered on September 23.