Ignatius of Antioch

Saint Ignatius of Antioch was the third bishop of Antioch, one of the most important early Christian Churches, succeeding according to tradition Saint Peter and Evodius. A disciple of the Apostles, he is considered one of the Apostolic Fathers. Arrested during the reign of Emperor Trajan (early 2nd century), he was condemned to be sent to Rome to be thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheater. During his long journey to martyrdom, under military guard, Ignatius wrote seven letters to the Churches of Asia Minor (Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles, Philadelphia, Smyrna) and to his friend Polycarp of Smyrna, as well as a crucial letter to the Romans. These letters are invaluable for understanding the theology and organization of the Christian Church in the early 2nd century. In them, he insists on the unity of the Church around the bishop, on the importance of the Eucharist as the 'flesh of Christ,' and on his fervent desire for martyrdom, seeing it as a means of imitating Christ and reaching God. He was martyred in Rome, probably around the year 108. His testimony of faith and his teaching make him a major figure in early Christianity.