Pope Saint Anicetus

Memorial

• 17 April

Profile

Son of John. Little is known of his life before his election as 11th Pope. Met with Saint Polycarp of Smyrna and allowed Eastern Christians to celebrate Easter on the 14th day of Nisan, regardless of whether it fell on Sunday. Anicetus took a firm stand against Gnosticism. Decreed that Church men should not have long hair; this was in keeping with 1st Corinthians 11:14 and helped mark the clergy as different from the laity.

Born

• in Syria

Papal Ascension

• between 152 and 157 (records vary)

Died

• between 166 and 168 (records vary)
• traditionally listed as a martyr, but there is no hard evidence
• interred in the Vatican

Canonized

• Pre-Congregation

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Kirken i Norge
• Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
• Medieval Religion Listserv, by John Dillon
• New Catholic Dictionary
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
• uCatholic
• Wikipedia

MLA Citation

• “Pope Saint Anicetus“. Saints.SQPN.com. 19 April 2013. Web. 24 May 2013. <>