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TRAJAN ALEXANDER, ADRIAN. _Fifth_ BISHOP _of_ Rome.
_Sixtus_ is placed, by _Optatus Milevitanus_[156], immediately after _Evaristus_; but that is certainly a Mistake, owing, in all likelihood, to those who transcribed him, since _Irenæus_[157], _Eusebius_[158], _Epiphanius_[159], and even St. _Augustin_[160], who follows _Optatus_ in every thing else relating to the Popes, place _Alexander_ between _Evaristus_ and _Sixtus_. _Irenæus_ reckons _Alexander_ the Fifth Bishop of _Rome_; so that we agree with the most authentic and unexceptionable Writer of Antiquity in excluding St. _Peter_, and supposing _Cletus_ and _Anacletus_ to be one and the same Person[161]. _Alexander_ governed Ten Years, and some Months; and died in the Third Year of _Adrian_, and 119 of Christ[162]. [Sidenote: Alexander _not a Martyr_.] We can learn nothing of the Antients concerning him: he is worshiped indeed by the Church of _Rome_ as a Martyr; but that Title is not given him by _Irenæus_: and as for the Venerable _Bede_, who ranks him among the Martyrs, he was led into that Mistake by _The Acts of St. Alexander_, which, in the Opinion of Dr. _Pearson_, were composed in the Seventh Century, but are now universally rejected as fabulous. [Sidenote: _The Institution of Holy Water falsly ascribed to him._] _Platina_ ascribes to Pope _Alexander_ the Institution of _Holy Water_[163], which _Baronius_ takes very much amiss of him, since he thereby robs the Apostles of an Honour due to them; for by the Apostles, in his Opinion, was first introduced the Use of _Holy Water_[164]. But if we trace up this _Holy Water_ to the Fountain-head, we shall find that it arises from an unhallowed Spring, from the _Lustral Water_ of the Pagans; for peace being restored to the Church by _Constantine_, the Christians began, as a modern Writer well observes[165], to adopt the Ceremonies of the _Gentiles_. Several Cities in _Italy_, _France_, _Germany_, _Spain_, &c. pretend to have Reliques of this Pope, insomuch that, were they all put together, they would form at least twenty intire Bodies[166].
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