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Polycarp was the Bishop of Smyrna in the 2nd century CE. He was a disciple of the Apostles and had met John the Apostle. As Bishop, he traveled to Rome to discuss ecclesiastical matters with Pope Anicetus, though they disagreed on the date of Easter. Later, Polycarp refused to renounce Christianity and was burned at the stake, but when the fire failed to kill him he was stabbed to death, becoming one of the earliest Christian martyrs. He is still honored as a saint today in several Christian churches.

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159 views

Assignment

Polycarp was the Bishop of Smyrna in the 2nd century CE. He was a disciple of the Apostles and had met John the Apostle. As Bishop, he traveled to Rome to discuss ecclesiastical matters with Pope Anicetus, though they disagreed on the date of Easter. Later, Polycarp refused to renounce Christianity and was burned at the stake, but when the fire failed to kill him he was stabbed to death, becoming one of the earliest Christian martyrs. He is still honored as a saint today in several Christian churches.

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sam varghese
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC:POLYCARP OF SMYRNA

Submitted by,

Sijin Samuel

Class:
INTRODUCTION

Polycarp was Bishop of Smyrna.The high regard in which


he was held is explained by the fact that he had been a disciple
of the Apostles.His name ‘Polycarp’ means ‘much fruit’ in
Greek.According to the martyrdom of Polycarp he died a
martyr,bound and buried at the Stake,then stabbed when the fire
failed to touch him.Polycarp is regarded as a saint and church
father in the Eastern Orthodox,Oriental Orthodox
,Catholic,Anglican and Lutheran churches.

LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF POLYCARP

He lived during the most formative era of the Church, at the


end of the age of the original Apostles.When the church was
making the critical transition to the second generation of
believers.Irenaeus records that Polycarp sat at the feet of
St.John, furthermore that he was appointed to the sec of Symrna
by the Apostles1.It was to him as Bishop of Symrna that
St.Ignatius addressed one of his letters.

*1. Johannes Quasten, patrology (west minister: Christian classics, Inc, 1993)
The discussions which Polycarp and Pope Anicetus carried on
in Rome in the year 155,relative to various ecclesiastical
matters of moment,particularly the settelement of a date for the
celebration of Easter, give added proof of the esteem in which
Polycarpwas held .No mutually satisfactory was arrived at,
however, in this burning controversy, for Polycarp appealed to
St.John and the Apostles as his authority for the quartodwciman
usage while Anicetus declared himself in favour of the custom
adhered to by his predecessors, namely the dominical
usage2.Although Pope and Bishop differed, nevertheless they
parted on the best of terms.Polycarp was also responsible for
converting many from Gnosticism.His only existing writing, a
Pastoral letter to the church of Philippi, shows he had little
formal education, and was unpretentious,humble and direct.

Epistle to the Philippians

Polycarp addressed several letters to neighbouring Christian


communities and to some of his fellow-bishops.But one of
these letters is extant, that to the Philippians.

*2. I bid 77
The Christian community of Philippi had asked Polycarp for a
copy of the letters of St.Ignatius.Polycarp send these together
with a communication in his own hand.In this he requested
reliable information regarding St.Ignatius hence it must have
been written shortly after the death of St.Ignatius.It is a moral
exhortation comparable to St.Clement’s First Apostle to the
Corinthians Polycarp actually used Clemrnt’s Epistle as a
source.

POLYCARP’S MARTYRDOM

Polycarps heroic martyrdom was occurred shortly after his


return from Rome.When the proconsul statius quadratus
ordered Polycarp:Swear and I shall release thee;revile Christ he
replied:For Eighty six years I have been serving Him ,and he
has done no wrong to me;how,then,dare I blaspheme my king
who has saved me.Polycarp’s last prayer is characteristic of the
man and a clear testimony of his faith.He concluded with, “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.”3
*3. Jack N. Sparks, ed, The Apostolic Fathers (Minnesota: Light & Life publishing

company,1978),124.
When he had lifted up the “Amen”and finished the prayer the
men attending to the fire lit it4.The fire took the form of an arch
like the sail of a ship filled by the wind and encircled the body
of and like gold and silver being refined in a furnace. At last
when the lawless pagans saw that his body could not be
consumed by fire,they ordered the executioner to go up to him
and plunge a dagger into him.And when he had done this,a dove
and a large quantity of blood came out so that it quenched the
fire and the whole crowd has amazed that there was so great a
difference between unbelievers and the elect.

*4. Ibid 147


CONCLUSION

Polycarp was a 2nd–century Christian Bishop of


Symrna.Although he was martyred in Symrna along with
eleven others from Philadelphia, he alone is indeed
remembered by all so that he is spoken of everywhere even by
the Gentiles.Not only did he show himself a distinguished
teacher but also an outstanding martyr, whose martyrdom all
desire to imitate since it was in accord with the gospel of Christ.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Quasten,Johannes.Patrology Westminister:

Christian classics,INC,1993.

Sparks Jack .,ed.The Apostolic Fathers.Minnesota:Light and


Life Publishing Company,1978.

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