Bishop of Rome in the late first century whose letter to the Corinthians survives; honored as a martyr.
Life
Saint Clement I was bishop of Rome at the end of the first century. According to early lists he was the third or fourth successor of the apostle Peter, and he is thought to belong to the generation that had known the apostles.
What we can reliably attribute to him is a letter sent around 96 in the name of the Roman church to the church in Corinth. In it he urged the divided Corinthian Christians toward humility, order and reconciliation, and it is a precious witness to how the early churches cared for one another.
The story that he was exiled to Crimea and martyred by being thrown into the sea tied to an anchor is a later tradition and is not certain. His name appears in the Roman Canon, and the Church remembers him on November 23.
Spirituality
Clement's spirituality is order and reconciliation in love. When a community was divided, he did not simply scold but earnestly urged humility and peace. His letter shows that the Church is one family responsible for one another.
Reflection
Clement did not treat another community's quarrel as none of his business. Among family members or friends who are in conflict, could I be someone who encourages peace?