Alexander was a Roman, who ruled the Church during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. He turned to Christ a great number of the Roman nobility. He ordained that nothing but bread and wine should be offered at the mystery, but that some water should be mingled with the wine, in memory of the Blood and Water which flowed from the Side of Jesus Christ. He added to the Canon of the Mass the words: Who, the night before he suffered. He also ordained that blessed water mingled with salt, should be kept always in Churches, and should be used in private rooms to scare away devils. He sat in the throne of Peter ten years, five months, and twenty days. He hath great renown on account of the holiness of his life, and the usefulness of his institutions. He was crowned with martyrdom, together with the Priests Eventius and Theodulus, and was buried beside the Nomentan Way, at the third milestone from the City, in the same place where he had been beheaded. During his Popedom he held divers Advent ordinations, and at them ordained six priests, two deacons, and five bishops for divers places. The bodies of these three Martyrs, Alexander, Eventius, and Theodulus, were afterwards brought into the City, and buried in the Church of St. Sabina. On this day likewise, occurred the blessed death of Juvenal, the holy Bishop of Narni, who by the holiness of his life and teaching, became the father in Christ of so many of the dwellers in that city. He fell asleep very peacefully, with great fame for miracles, and was there honourably buried.
The Church of Santa Sabina, Rome
