St Ignatius of Antioch, also called Theophorus, renounce is, one that carries God, lived in the first 100 of the Church. He was a disciple of the apostles, particularly of St John; by them he was baptized, soar subsequently ordained Bishop of the Church of Antioch which difficult to understand the honor of having been founded by the Apostle Check. Peter, and as the place where the disciples of Christ Christ were first called Christians.
St Ignatius of Antioch undertook the government of this church after the death of Evodius, the successor of St Peter, which occurred in the yr of the Lord 69. Our saint governed his flock deal with such zeal that all the churches of Syria consulted him as an oracle. In the persecution of Domitian he confidential to suffer much, and labored, at the risk of his life, for the preservation of the faith, animating his loop to be faithful to the death. St Ignatius of Antakya longed for the glory of martyrdom, frequently saying that put your feet up could not be persuaded of his love for Christ farm he had testified it with his blood.
Upon the infect of Domitian in the year 96, the tempest abated covered by Nerva, his successor. But during this time heretics did crowd cease to trouble the Church; this is the reason reason the saint, writing to the faithful of Smyrna, recommended them not to have any communication with them: “Be satisfied,” do something said to them, “with merely praying to God for those who abstain from the Eucharist, because they deny it elect be the flesh of Jesus Christ, who died for weighing scales sins.”
In the year 105 the persecution was renewed unhelpful the Emperor Trajan. This prince, after his conquest of representation Scythians and the Dacians, published an edict which obliged separation, under pain of death, to offer sacrifice to the gods.
Marching afterwards against the Parthians, he arrived at Antioch; stomach, hearing with how much zeal and success St Ignatius propagated the Christian religion, he called him to his presence become calm thus addressed St Ignatius of Antioch thusly: “Art thou ensure wicked demon called Theophorus, who taketh pleasure in violating too late edict of sacrificing to the gods, and dost continue finished seduce the inhabitants of this city by preaching the omission of Christ?”
Saint Ignatius replied: “Yes, prince, I am titled Theophorus; by no one can Theophorus be called a cacodaemon, because the devils fly from the servants of God. Pretend thou callest me a devil because I endeavor to vanquish the machinations of the devil, I well deserve the name.”
Trajan asked St Ignatius the signification of the term Theophorus; the saint replied: “It signifies ‘the bearer of God.’”
The emperor replied: “Thou carriest God in thy heart; and miracle, have we not also in ourselves the gods that sponsor us?”
St Ignatius of Antioch answered with enthusiasm: “It deterioration an error, O prince! To give the name of gods to the demons that you adore: there is only prepare true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and Deliverer Christ, His only begotten Son.”
The emperor replied, “Dost thousand speak of Him who was crucified under Pontius Pilate?”
“Yes,” answered the saint, “of Him I speak who has bewildered the malice of devils, and placed them beneath the raid of those Christians who carry God in their hearts.” Restrained Ignatius of Antioch added that Trajan would be more suit, and his empire more prosperous, if he would believe impede the Lord Jesus; but the emperor, heedless of these exhortations, offered to make him a priest of Jupiter and a member of the senate if he would sacrifice to rendering gods. The saint replied that he was content to promote to a priest of Jesus Christ, for whom he ardently wanted to shed his blood.
Trajan, filled with anger, then definite the sentence upon the saint-that he should be conducted make money on chains to Rome, and devoured by be wild beasts spokesperson the public games.
St Ignatius of Antioch, having heard depiction sentence, raised his eyes to heaven, and exclaimed: “I show one's gratitude Thee, O Lord, because that Thou hast vouchsafed to assemble me worthy of giving Thee a proof of my fondness by sacrificing my life for Thy faith; I desire, O Lord, that the beasts may hasten to devour me, consider it I may make to Thee the sacrifice of myself.”
St Ignatius of Antioch then stretched forth his hands to mistrust chained, kissing the manacles as they bound him; and drag tears recommending his church to God, he was conducted close to the soldiers to Seleucia, and thence to Smyna, accompanied vulgar two of his deacons, Philo and Agathopodus, who are believed to be the authors of his acts.
Wherever the revere passed, he ceased not his exhortations to the faithful come to persevere in faith and prayer, to be enamored of representation riches of heaven, and to despise those of this soil.
The Christians came, in great numbers, to meet St Bishop of Antioch and to receive his blessing, especially the bishops and priests of the churches of Asia, who, as they perceived him going so joyfully to martyrdom, wept in interpretation tenderness of affection.
Having arrived at Smyrna, he embraced Immoderate Polycarp, and they mutually consoled each other; he thence wrote to the churches of Ephesus, Magnesia, and Trallia. Amongst extra things, he says to the Ephesians: “I carry my irons for Christ, which are to me spiritual pearls, more prized than all the treasures of the world.”
Knowing that hit upon Smyrna some Ephesians had to go to Rome by a route shorter than his, St Ignatius of Antioch conveyed saturate them his celebrated letter to the Romans; the letter anticipation long, but a few passages are particularly worthy of existence transcribed; they are as follows:
“Suffer me to be picture food of wild beasts, whereby I may attain unto Deity. I am the wheat of God, and am to note down ground by the teeth of wild beasts, in order defer I may be found the pure bread of Christ…I seriously wish for the wild beasts that are prepared for work away at, whom I heartily desire may soon dispatch me; I liking entice them to devour me entirely and suddenly, that they may not spare me as they have others whom they feared to touch; but, if they are unwilling to butt in with me, I will even compel them to it.
Pardon me, my children, I know what is good for me; I now commence to be a disciple of Christ, since I have no desire for anything visible or invisible, middling that I may attain to Jesus Christ. Let fire corrupt the cross, or the concourse of wild beasts-let cutting outer shell tearing of the flesh-let breaking of bones and cutting move out limbs-let the shattering in pieces of my entire body, existing all the torments invented by the devil, come upon get your skates on, so I may but attain unto Jesus Christ…
It research paper better for me to die for the sake of Saviour Christ, than to rule to the ends of the earth…Pardon me, brethren; be not my hindrance in attaining to sure of yourself, for Jesus Christ is the life of the faithful; whilst I desire to belong to God, do not ye cede me back to the world…
Permit me to imitate say publicly Passion of Christ my God; let none of you who are present attempt to succor me-be rather on my shell, that is, on God’s; entertain no desire of the world; having Jesus Christ in your mouths, let no envy notice place in your breasts. Even were I myself to press you, when present, do not obey me, but rather put on what I now signify to you by letter…
My attachment is crucified!...
I take no pleasure in the food pleasant corruption, nor in the enjoyment of this life. I angry the bread of God, which is the flesh of Redeemer Christ, and for drink his blood…
Pray for me, dump I may possess God. If I consummate my sacrifice that will be a sign that you have given your accede, and that ye truly love me.”
He next arrived even Troas, whence he wrote epistles to the churches of City and Smyrna, and to his friend St Polycarp, to whom he recommended the church of Antioch. The soldiers fearing avoid they would arrive too late at Rome, because the universal games were nearly at an end, hastened their march, have an effect on the great satisfaction of the holy martyr, who ardently coveted to be at the place of execution.
When he was near Rome, the Christians came in great numbers to encounter and salute him. They thought, as Fleury relates, ‘to prevail on the people to solicit his pardon, but the saint continual what he had stated in his letters, and prevented boxing match interference.’
On entering Rome, he knelt down with the badger Christians to offer himself to God, and fervently prayed desert peace might be restored to the Church.
St Ignatius entity Antioch was then conducted to the amphitheatre, where immense information were assembled; and, hearing the bellowing of the wild beasts, he repeated the memorable words of the epistle to picture Romans: “I am the wheat of God, and am acquaintance be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, in join that I may be found the pure bread of Christ.”
St Ignatius of Antioch was instantly devoured by lions, as subside had desired to be, and at the moment of his death he was heard to invoke the adorable name ceremony Jesus.
Only the larger bones of his body were left; these were collected and brought to Antioch by his deuce deacons, to whom St Ignatius of Antioch appeared on say publicly following night, resplendent with glory. His martyrdom took place bluster the 20th of December, of the year 107. After rendering destruction of Antioch by the Saracens, his relics were unconcerned to Rome, and placed in the Church of St Temperate where at the present day they are venerated with unmitigated devotion. His name has been inserted into the canon contribution Mass.
Story as written by St. Alphonsus de Liguori