Home > Polycarp
Polycarp of Smyrna ( 69?- 155?, 80?- 166?, 81?- 167?, 79?- 165?, or 70?- 156?) was a Christian bishop of Smyrna in the second century. He died a martyr and is recognized as a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. According to tradition, he was a disciple of John the EvangelistJacopo Pontormo, ca 1525 (Santa Felicita, Florence) John the Evangelist (? c. 110; " The LORD is merciful", Standard Hebrew Yoanan Tiberian Hebrew Yonn is presumed to be the author of the Gospel according to John. Tradition has identified him with John th who is identified with one of the first twelve ApostlesAlternate meaning: See Apostle (Mormonism The Christian Apostles were Jewish men who were "sent forth" (as indicated by the Greek word apostolos , by Jesus to preach Christianity to both Jews and Gentiles, across the world. He called unto him his disciple.Polycarp was a correspondent of Ignatius of AntiochIgnatius of Antioch (probably died AD 107) was the third bishop of Antioch, after Saint Peter and Euodius, whom Ignatius succeeded around AD 68. Ignatius, who also called himself Theophorus was most likely a disciple of both Apostles Peter and John. Sever. Ignatius addressed a letter to him, and mentions him in the letters to the Ephesians and to the Magnesians. Polycarp visited RomeRome ( Italian and Latin Roma is the capital city of Italy, and of its Lazio region. It is located on the lower Tiber river, near the Mediterranean Sea, at 41°50'N, 12°15'E. The Vatican City State, a sovereign enclave within Rome, is the seat of the Roman during the time of Pope Anicetus, and found their customs for observing EasterEaster is generally accounted the most important holiday of the Christian year, observed March or April each year to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (after his death by crucifixion; see Good Friday), which Christians believe happened at differed. They agreed to peaceably disagree on this matter.
His sole surviving work, the Letter to the Philippians, and an account of The Martyrdom of Polycarp form part of the writings usually collected under the title "The Apostolic FathersThe Apostolic Fathers historically were, to speak dispassionately from outside the orthodox Christian tradition, a small group of Christian authors who lived and wrote in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries. The label Apostolic Fathers is used because th". The latter is considered the earliest genuine post-biblical account of a Christian martyrdom, and one of the very few genuine such writings from the actual age of the persecutions.
Irenaeus relates how and when he became a Christian and in his letter to Florinus stated that he saw and heard him personally in lower Asia; in particular he heard the account of Polycarp's intercourse with John the Evangelist and with others who had seen Jesus Christ. Irenaeus also reports that Polycarp was converted to Christianity by apostles, was consecrated a bishop, and communicated with many who had seen Jesus. He repeatedly emphasizes the very old age of Polycarp. The Martyrdom has Polycarp himself give his age on the day of his death as 86 years.
The date of Polycarp's death is disputed. Eusebius dates it to the reign of Marcus Aurelius, circa 166-7. However, a post-Eusebian addition to the treatise The Martyrdom of Polycarp dates his death to Saturday, February 23 in the proconsulship of Statius Quadratus -- which works out to be 155 or 156. These earlier dates better fit the tradition of his association with Ignatius and John the Evangelist.
External links
Christian martyrs
Ancient Roman Christianity
