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Associate of, converted by, and disciple of Saint John the Apostle. Friend
of Saint Ignatius of Antioch. Fought Gnosticism. Bishop of Smyrna (modern
Izmir, Turkey). Revered Christian leader during the first half of the
second century. The Asia Minor churches recognized Polycarp's leadership
and chose him representative to Pope Anicetus on the question the date of
the Easter celebration. Only one of the many letters written by Polycarp
has survived, the one he wrote to the Church of Philippi, Macedonia. At
86, Polycarp was to be burned alive in a stadium in Smyrna; the flames did
not harm him and he was finally killed by a dagger, and his body burned.
The "Acts" of Polycarp's martyrdom are the earliest preserved reliable
account of a Christian martyr's death.
Born: c.69
Died: stabbed to death c.155 at Smyrna body burned
Patronage: against earache, dysentery
Readings
Stand fast, therefore, in this conduct and follow the example of the Lord,
'firm and unchangeable in faith, lovers of the brotherhood, loving each
other, united in truth,' helping each other with the mildness of the Lord,
despising no man.
- Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians
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When the pyre was ready, Polycarp took off all his outer clothes and
loosened his under-garments. There and then he was surrounded by the
material for the pyre. Whey they tried to fasten him also with nails, he
said, "Leave me as I am. The one who gives me the strength to endure the
fire will also give me strength to stay quite still on the pyre, even
without the precaution of your nails." So they did not fix him to the pyre
with nails, but only fastened him instead.
Looking up to heaven, he said, "Lord, almighty God, Father of your beloved
and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom have come to the knowledge of
yourself, God of angels, of powers, of all creation, of all the race of
saints who live in your sight, I bless you for judging me worthy of this
day, this hour, so that in the company of the martyrs I may share the cup
of Christ, your anointed one, and so rise again to eternal life in soul
and body through the power of the Holy Spirit.
"I praise you for all things, I bless you, I glorify you through the
eternal priest of heaven, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. Through him by
glory to you, together with him and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
Amen."
When he had said, "Amen" and finished the prayer, the officials at the
pyre lit it. But, when a great flame burst out, those of us privileged to
see it witnessed a strange and wonderful thing. Like a ship's sail
swelling in the wind, the flame became as it were a dome encircling the
martyr's body. Surrounded by the fire, his body was like bread that is
baked, or gold and silver white-hot in a furnace, not like flesh that has
been burnt. So sweet a fragrance came to us that it was like that of
burning incense or some other costly and sweet-smelling gum.
- from a letter by the Church of Smyrna on the martyrdom of Saint Polycarp
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