Died: 115 A.D.
How do we know he was pope?
Like his four predecessors, St. Alexander I is identified by St. Irenaeus in his work Adversus haeresis (“Against Heresy”) as the sixth pope and fifth successor of St. Peter. (not to sound like a broken record…)
Give me the scoop on Alexander I.
Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot of scoop on Alexander (other than, you know, keeping the young Church up and running). He is traditionally understood to have been of Roman birth and a martyr for the faith.
What was he known for?
Legends say that Alexander I converted a whole bunch of people during his pontificate, among whom were a Roman governor, his own jailer, and the jailer’s daughter. The latter two, Quirinus and Balbina, are now considered saints. Evangelization level: Expert.
Fun Fact…
Since the Church was still so young, Alexander I likely contributed to some of Her emerging liturgical traditions, though it’s unclear whether that included suggesting Catholics sit no closer than the 10th pew from the front at Mass.
What else was going on in the world at the time?
Cai Lun of China is credited with inventing paper (yes, paper!) around the beginning of St. Alexander I’s pontificate. Though the process is sped up and much more sophisticated these days, the basic method of making a sheet of paper is still essentially the same.
Coming tomorrow….Pope St. Sixtus I
Can’t get enough papal history?
Click here to list to The Popecast, a short podcast about popes from the author of Popes in a Year.
SOURCES (and further reading)
– http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01285c.htm
– http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=835
– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Alexander_I
– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cai_Lun