Pope Saint Anacletus (very rarely written as Anencletus), probably identical with Pope Cletus, was the third Roman pope (after St. Peter and St. Linus).
The February 14, 1961 Instruction of the Congregation for Rites on the application to local calendars of Pope John XXIII's motu proprioRubricarum instructum of July 25, 1960 decreed that "the feast of "Saint Anacletus", on whatever ground and in whatever grade it is celebrated, is transferred to April 26, under its right name, Saint Cletus". The Roman Martyrology mentions the Pope in question only under the name of "Cletus".[1] The Annuario Pontificio gives both forms, as alternatives. Eusebius, Saint Irenaeus, Saint Augustine and Optatus all suggest that both names refer to the same individual. On the other hand, the Liberian Catalogue and the Liber Pontificalis both state that Anacletus and Cletus are different persons.
His name, which is Greek, signifies, if "Cletus", one who has been "called"; if it is "Anacletus", one who has been "called back".
He is traditionally said to have been a Roman, and to have been pope for twelve years. The Annuario Pontificio, which states: "For the first two centuries, the dates of the start and the conclusion of the pontificates are uncertain", gives 80-92 as the dates for Pope Cletus/Anacletus. Some others give 77-88.
Tradition has it that he divided Rome into 25 parishes. One of the few surviving records concerning Anacletus' papacy mentions him as having ordained an uncertain number of priests.[2]
