The Martyrdom of St. Polycarp

[Lorenzo]

[Lorenzo]

The testimony of St. Irenaeus:
"...Polycarp, besides being instructed by the Apostles and acquainted with many who had seen the Lord, was also appointed by the Apostles for Asia as bishop of the church in Smyrna. Even I saw him in my early youth; for he remained with us a long time, and at a great age suffered martyrdom full of glory and renown and departed this life, having taught always the things which he had learned from the Apostles, which the Church hands down, which alone are true. There testify to these things all the churches throughout Asia, and the successors of Polycarp down to this day, testimonies to the truth far more trustworthy and reliable than Valentinus and Marcion and the other misguided persons..."

[Lorenzo]

[Lorenzo]

What staunch faith! St. Polycarp, who was the bishop of Smyrna, taught and preached the WORD, but also acted on the WORD.

May we learn from men such as St. Polycarp, who preferred to die as martyrs than reject the Faith in Jesus Christ!

[Lorenzo]

"The manner of his death sets the seal on his life,
so that even his earthly utterances are endowed with infallibility.”

âˆ' Andrew Louth (speaking of Polycarp’s martyrdom)


Maxwell Staniforth & Andrew Louth, Early Christian Writings (London, Penguin Books, 1987), page 117 (speaking of Polycarp’s martyrdom).