THE LIFE AND MARTYRDOM OF SAINT POLYCARP

HIS LIFE

v St. Polycarp lived in about 69-155 A.D., and was the Bishop of Smyrna, Izmir in modern Turkey. He was the leading Christian figure in Roman Asia Minor.

v He is an important link between the tradition of the Church stretch from the apostles to the 2^nd century church.

v Polycarp was a disciple of St. John the Apostle: St. Irenaeus (Bishop of Lyons in 2^nd century) tells us that Polycarp sat at the feet of the Apostle St. John. Polycarp also knew others that saw Christ in the flesh. He was appointed to the See of Smyrna by the Apostles themselves.

v Polycarp was a strong defender of orthodoxy—he put much of his energy into refuting Gnosticism. He had a severe attitude towards heretics. According to Irenaeus, Polycarp once met the heretic Marcion in the street: “Do you recognize me?” asked Marcion. “Indeed,” replied Polycarp, “I recognize you as the firstborn of Satan!”

v Polycarp and Ignatius were friends: On his way to martyrdom, St. Ignatius (Bishop of Antioch) stopped in Smyrna and rested with its young Bishop--Polycarp. Polycarp was the only individual to whom the great Antiochian martyr ever addressed a surviving personal letter (see attached). After the martyrdom of Ignatius, Polycarp collected his letters and sent them to others.

v Polycarp visited Rome to discuss a few church matters with Bishop Anicetus, particularly the date of the Easter celebration. Asia Minor churches were celebrating Easter on the exact date of the Jewish Passover, regardless of the day of the week, while Rome was using a specific Sunday each year. Both agreed to leave their traditions as they were—and the fellowship between them was not disturbed.

v On a February day in 155 A.D., St. Polycarp departed with the honor of the crown of martyrdom to the Church of Heaven.

HIS MARTYRDOM

The Church of Smyrna prepared a full account of the martyrdom of Polycarp, perhaps to be sent to other churches.

v “They endured being shredded with whips until the fabric of their flesh could be seen down to the veins and arteries within. But they themselves displayed such nobility that none of them muttered or groaned, showing us all that the most noble martyrs of Christ in that hour under torture were absent from the flesh, or rather, that the Lord was at hand and was conversing with them. And their minds fixed on the grace of Christ they despised the tortures of this world, purchasing at the cost of one hour, eternal life. To them even the fire of their inhuman torturers was cold; for they held before their eyes escape from the eternal fire which is never quenched (Matt. 3:12), and with the eyes of their heart they gazed upon the good things reserved for those who have endured, “which neither eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor have entered the heart of man” (I Cor. 2:9), but which were shown by the Lord to those who were no longer men but already angels.”

When Polycarp heard the news about his sentence to death, he did not want to leave, but rather stay in the city. His brethren begged and persuaded him to withdraw quietly—he withdrew to a farm not far away from the city, where he stayed with a few friends. He did nothing day and night but pray for all the men and churches throughout the world, which was his custom. While in prayer, he had a vision, three days before he was arrested, in which he saw his pillow burning with fire, and he turned and said to those with him: “I must be burned alive.”

Polycarp moved to another farm, but his pursuers could not find him. Consequently, they arrested two young slaves and tortured them until one of them confessed Polycarp’s location. The policemen and horsemen took the slave and went to the farmhouse, where Polycarp was lying down in a little room upstairs. When he heard the news of their arrival, Polycarp went downstairs to converse with them, while those who saw him marveled at his age and courage. He ordered that they eat and drink as much as they wished, and he asked them to give him one hour to pray undisturbed. They permitted him to do this, and Polycarp stood and prayed so filled with the grace of God that for two hours he could not stop speaking. Those who heard him were amazed, and many regretted coming after such a holy and old man.

After praying for every person he had ever met both small and great, and all the catholic church throughout the world, the time came for him to leave. He was taken into the city, and advised by the police captain to declare, “Caesar is Lord” so that he may be saved—but Polycarp, of course, refused.

As Polycarp was led into the stadium, the uproar was so loud that many did not hear the announcement. A voice from heaven came to Polycarp as he was entering the stadium: “Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man!” No one saw the speaker, but many witnesses heard the voice. The proconsul attempted to persuade Polycarp to worship Caesar and say “Away with the atheists”—Polycarp looked up to heaven and groaned “Away with the atheists!” The proconsul asked him to revile Christ, and Polycarp replied: “I have served Him eight-six years and in no way has He dealt unjustly with me; so how can I blaspheme my King Who saved me?” Polycarp declared his Christianity and refused any persistence by the proconsul. Many threats were made against him: wild beasts, fire, and any torture possible. Polycarp’s response to these: “You threaten fire which burns for an hour and is soon quenched; for you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment reserved for the wicked. But why do you wait? Come, do what you will!”

As Polycarp spoke, he became filled with courage and joy. His face was covered with grace so much so that none of the threats stirred terror in his heart. The crowds shouted that Polycarp should be burned alive—they gathered wood and fuel from shops and baths; the Jews were especially energetic in helping with this task. Polycarp readily took off his garments and loosened his belt. He also made an effort to take off his shoes, although he was not used to doing this because the faithful always hurried to take them off so that they may be the first to touch his skin, since he was greatly adorned because of his Godly way of life.

As they were about to nail Polycarp, he said: “Let me be as I am; for He who makes it possible for me to endure the fire will also make it possible for me to remain on the pyre unmoved without the security of nails.” Thus, they only bound him, but did not nail him. Polycarp looked up to heaven and said this last prayer:

v “Lord God Almighty, Father of Your Beloved and Blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of You, God of angels and powers and every created thing and all the race of the just who dwell before You. I bless You because You have considered me worthy of this day and hour to receive a portion among the number of the martyrs in the Cup of your Christ unto the resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and body in the incorruption of the Holy Spirit. May I be received among them today as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, just as you have prepared beforehand and revealed beforehand, and fulfilled, O undeceiving and true God. For this reason and for all these things I praise You, I bless You, I glorify You, through the eternal and heavenly high priest, Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, through whom to You with Him and the Holy Spirit be glory now and forever. Amen.”

When he lifted up the Amen and finished the prayer, the fire was lit. When the flame shot up, a miracle was witnessed: The fire took the form of an arch like the sail of a ship filled by the wind and encircled the body of the martyr like a wall. He was in the center of it not like burning flesh but like baking bread or like gold and silver being refined in a furnace. Those who witnessed this miracle also smelled a fragrant odor like the scent of incense or some other precious spice. When the pagans saw that his body could not be consumed by fire, they ordered the executioner to plunge a dagger into him. When he did this, a large quantity of blood came out—so much that it quenched the fire. Everyone was amazed that there was such a great difference between the unbelievers and the elect, of which Polycarp was a member. After he departed, the Jews and others created an issue over what was to be done with Polycarp’s body—they thought that the faithful believers would begin to worship him, so the centurion decided to burn his body. His bones were taken up, and since that time, his martyrdom has been celebrated with joy and gladness.