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St. Polycarp of Smyrna
St. Polycarp of Smyrna (c. 69–c. 155). Born around 69 AD, likely in Asia Minor, Polycarp was a bishop, martyr, and one of the Apostolic Fathers, pivotal in early Christianity. Tradition holds he was a disciple of the Apostle John, receiving direct instruction in Ephesus. Appointed bishop of Smyrna (modern Izmir, Turkey), he led with humility, preaching Christ’s divinity and resurrection, countering heresies like Docetism. His epistle, Letter to the Philippians, urged steadfast faith and charity, preserved in early Christian writings. Polycarp mentored figures like Irenaeus and corresponded with Ignatius of Antioch, strengthening church unity. At age 86, during a persecution under Emperor Antoninus Pius, he was arrested for refusing to sacrifice to Roman gods. Bound and burned at the stake in Smyrna’s stadium around 155 AD, he survived the flames, only to be stabbed, his martyrdom recorded in The Martyrdom of Polycarp, one of the earliest such accounts. Unmarried, as a celibate bishop, he left no family but a legacy of courage. Polycarp said, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?”
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St. Polycarp of Smyrna encourages believers to persevere in hope and righteousness through Jesus Christ, who bore our sins and endured all things for us. He urges followers to imitate Christ's patience and glorify Him even in suffering for His name's sake, as Christ set the ultimate example for us to follow.
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In Prayer and Patience
Let us then continually persevere in our hope, and the earnest of our righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, "who bore our sins in His own body on the tree," "who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth," but endured all things for us, that we might live in Him. Let us then be imitators of His patience; and if we suffer for His name's sake, let us glorify Him. For He has set us this example s in Himself, and we have believed that such is the case.
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St. Polycarp of Smyrna (c. 69–c. 155). Born around 69 AD, likely in Asia Minor, Polycarp was a bishop, martyr, and one of the Apostolic Fathers, pivotal in early Christianity. Tradition holds he was a disciple of the Apostle John, receiving direct instruction in Ephesus. Appointed bishop of Smyrna (modern Izmir, Turkey), he led with humility, preaching Christ’s divinity and resurrection, countering heresies like Docetism. His epistle, Letter to the Philippians, urged steadfast faith and charity, preserved in early Christian writings. Polycarp mentored figures like Irenaeus and corresponded with Ignatius of Antioch, strengthening church unity. At age 86, during a persecution under Emperor Antoninus Pius, he was arrested for refusing to sacrifice to Roman gods. Bound and burned at the stake in Smyrna’s stadium around 155 AD, he survived the flames, only to be stabbed, his martyrdom recorded in The Martyrdom of Polycarp, one of the earliest such accounts. Unmarried, as a celibate bishop, he left no family but a legacy of courage. Polycarp said, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?”