Pope Linus

Pope Linus is traditionally recognized as the second bishop of Rome, serving after Saint Peter. His pontificate is generally placed between approximately 68 and 80 AD. He holds a significant position in the early history of the Christian Church in Rome.

Historical Context and Succession

The earliest historical references to Linus come from the writings of Irenaeus, who in the late 2nd century stated that the apostles, after founding the Church, committed the office of the episcopate into Linus's hands. This account is supported by early succession lists compiled by figures like Hegesippus and attested to by the historian Eusebius. By this reckoning, Linus might be considered the first pope, but the convention of regarding Peter as the first pope emerged later, from the late 2nd or early 3rd century.

Jerome described Linus as "the first after Peter to be in charge of the Roman Church," and Eusebius noted him as "the first to receive the episcopate of the church at Rome, after the martyrdom of Paul and Peter." John Chrysostom also mentioned Linus as the second bishop of Rome after Peter, and the Liberian Catalogue listed Peter as the first bishop and Linus as his successor.

Life and Ministry

According to the Liber Pontificalis, Linus was Italian, born in Volterra, Tuscany, with his father named Herculanus and his mother Claudia. The Apostolic Constitutions also mention Claudia in connection with Linus. While the Liber Pontificalis attributes several decrees to Linus, including that women should cover their heads in church, and states he created the first 15 bishops, scholars like J.P. Kirsch in the Catholic Encyclopedia consider such decrees to be apocryphal, likely derived from biblical passages and arbitrarily attributed to him.

The chronology of Linus's episcopate is subject to scholarly debate. Eusebius and Jerome place his episcopate between 68 and 80 AD. However, the Liberian Catalogue and the Liber Pontificalis suggest an earlier period, from 56 to 67 AD. This latter dating is considered less likely by some, given the traditional 25-year episcopate assigned to Peter and the recorded death of Peter around 67–68 AD.

Linus is explicitly named in the Second Epistle to Timothy (4:21) as being with the Apostle Paul in Rome near the end of Paul's life. Irenaeus specifically identified this Linus as the one who became Bishop of Rome.

Legacy

Linus is venerated as a saint and Pope. His name is included in the Roman Canon of the Mass, a testament to his enduring significance in Catholic tradition. While the Liber Pontificalis claims he died a martyr and was buried on the Vatican Hill, these assertions are not universally accepted or proven by independent historical evidence. A tomb discovered in Saint Peter's Basilica inscribed with "LINVS" was later determined to be incomplete and not definitively his. The city of Saint-Lin–Laurentides in Canada is named in his honor.