
- February 23, 155 AD. -
Izmir, Asia Minor
Roman Empire
In the great persecution against Christians that broke out in the Roman province of Asia during the time of Antoninus Pius (86 AD-161 AD) in the year 155 AD, thirteen Christians of Smyrna (present-day Türkiye) suffered martyrdom. Among them was the elderly Polycarp (69 AD -155 AD), a disciple of the apostle John (6 AD -100 AD) and bishop of Smyrna, who had been arrested and sentenced to the stake at the age of 86.
The Martyrdom of Polycarp
'I could tell you the place where the blessed Polycarp sat to preach the Word of God. It is yet present to my mind with what gravity he everywhere came in and went out; what was the sanctity of his deportment, the majesty of his countenance; and what were his exhortations to the people. I seem to hear him now relate how he conversed with John and many others who had seen Jesus Christ, the words he had heard from their mouths.'
Letter from Irenaeus of Lyon (c.140 - c.202) to Florinus where he mentions the time they spent together under the tutelage of Polycarp of Smyrna (69 AD -155 AD), whom Florinus had known personally in his youth. Eusebius of Caesarea (260/265 AD - 339 AD) has preserved a fragment of this letter in his works of Ecclesiastical History.
When at nightfall the soldiers arrived with their usual weapons to the place where Policarpo was, as if they were against a criminal, they found him lying in the upper room of a small house, from where he could have escaped to another place; but he refused, saying: "God's will be done". Then, when he heard that they had come, with his face radiant and full of compassion, he came down and spoke to them. And while those present were amazed at his advanced age and firm bearing, some said: 'Was so much effort made to capture such a old man?'
At that same hour, Polycarp ordered that the troops be served something to eat and drink, whatever they desired, while asking them to give him an hour to pray. And when it was granted to him, he prayed, full of the grace of God, in such a way that he could not stop for two hours, to the astonishment of those who heard him, so that many began to repent that they had come against such a pious old man.
As soon as he stopped praying, having mentioned all those who had been in contact with him, he was taken to the amphitheater of Smyrna and on the way he was seen by the chief of the guard, Herod, accompanied by his father Nicetas (both in a carriage) , who invited him to get into the carriage and they tried to persuade him, saying: 'Why what harm is there in saying, Caesar is Lord, offering incense and saving thyself?'. But he at first gave them no answer. When however they persisted, he said, 'I am not going to do what ye counsel me.' When Herod and Nicetas heard this, they began to speak bitter words to him and threw him violently out of the carriage, so that when he fell his leg was dislocated. But as if nothing had happened, he got up and was led to the amphitheater, where the tumult was so great that there was no possibility of being heard. And as Polycarp entered there, a voice came to him from heaven saying: "Be strong, oh Polycarp!" No one saw who it was that was speaking to him; but the Christian brothers who were present heard the voice. And when he was brought before the Roman proconsul, there was a great uproar when it was learned that the pious old man had been arrested.
Later, when he was in front of the Roman proconsul Lucius Statius Quadratus, better known as Quadratus, he gave him the opportunity to repent of his faith and declare that Caesar is Lord, and told him: 'Swear the oath and I will release thee, revile the Christ.' He answered: "I only acknowledge Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as my Lord." After this Quadratus insisted: "And what is lost by throwing a little incense before Caesar's altar? Renounce your faith and you will save your life," after which Polycarp gave an admirable response that the Church will never forget.
'Eighty-six years have I served him, and he never did me any harm: how then can I blaspheme against my King and my Savior?'
Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius of Caesarea (260/265-339). Book IV, 15, 21-25.
At these words, the Roman proconsul insisted: "Swear by the fate of Caesar," and Polycarp replied: 'If thou supposest vainly that I will swear by the fate of Caesar, as thou sayest, and feignest that thou art ignorant who I am, hear thou plainly, I am a Christian. But if thou wouldest learn the doctrine of Christianity, assign a day and give me a hearing.' Once again he said: "Convince the people" to which the old man replied: 'As for thyself, I should have held thee worthy of discourse; for we have been taught to render, as is meet, to princes and authorities appointed by God such honor as does us no harm; but as for these, I do not hold them worthy, that I should defend myself before them.'
Then Quadratus said to him: 'I have wild beasts here and I will throw thee to them, except thou repent' but Polycarp once again responded firmly: "Call them, then, because we are not accustomed to repent from good to adopt evil; and it is good for me to exchange evil for righteousness." But he insisted again, 'I will cause thee to be consumed by fire, if thou despisest the wild beasts, unless thou repent.' But Polycarp said; 'Thou threatenest that fire which burneth for a season and after a little while is quenched for thou art ignorant of the fire of the future judgment and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly. But why delayest thou? Do what you want.'
While Polycarp was saying this and many other things, he was filled with courage and joy, and his face was overflowing with grace, so that not only did he not faint at the things that were said to him, but, on the contrary, it was the Roman proconsul who He was beside himself and called the herald to proclaim three times in the middle of the amphitheater: "Polycarp has confessed that he is a Christian."
When the herald had said this, all the rabble of Gentiles and Jews who lived in Smyrna began to shout with unbridled spirit and with a loud voice: 'This is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the puller down of our gods, who teacheth numbers not to sacrifice nor worship.'
As they said this, they shouted more and asked Asiaarch Philip to release a lion against Polycarp. But he said he couldn't do it legally, since he had already finished the games. Then they decided to shout unanimously that Polycarp should be burned alive. For the vision that had been shown to him regarding his pillow must be fulfilled, when he saw it burning while he was praying, and turning around he said to the faithful who were with him: 'I must needs be burned alive.'
When the bonfire was ready, Polycarp took off all his clothes and immediately placed the instruments prepared for the bonfire around him, but when they were going to nail him, he told them: 'Leave me as I am; for He that hath granted me to endure the fire will grant me also to remain at the pile unmoved, even without the security which ye seek from the nails.' So they just tied him up. And he, putting his hands behind him, looked up to heaven and said:
'O Lord God Almighty, Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of you, God of angels, of powers, and of all creation, and of all the race of the righteous who live in the presence of you, I thank you because you have considered me worthy of this day and this hour, so that I may have a part among the number of martyrs for the resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and body, through incorruption imparted by the Holy Spirit. For this reason and for all things I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the eternal and high priest Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, to whom be glory with the Holy Spirit, now and in the centuries to come. Amen'.
Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius of Caesarea (260/265-339). Book IV, 15, 31-35.
When Polycarp finished his prayer, those appointed to do so lit the fire and, creating a great flame, the witnesses saw that the fire, forming a kind of vault, like the sail of a ship inflated by the wind, protected the body of the martyr like a wall around. And he was in the middle, not like burned flesh, but like gold and silver burning in the furnace. And those who were there, in fact, perceived a fragrance like that exhaled by incense or any other precious aroma.
At last, those wicked men, seeing that the body could not be consumed by fire, ordered the maker to approach and plunge his sword into it; once this was done, a flow of blood gushed out, so great that it extinguished the fire and left the entire crowd amazed when they saw the great difference between the infidels and the chosen ones.
In this way, on February 23, 155 AD in Smyrna, Asia Minor, Polycarp gave his life to remain faithful to Jesus Christ and his unwavering faith is a powerful testimony to all Christians throughout the centuries.
The story of Polycarp's testimony reaches our days in two ways: Eusebius of Caesarea (260/265 AD - 339 AD) transcribes it and summarizes it in part in his voluminous Ecclesiastical History and Pinius (250 AD) (a Christian martyr who died in the Smyrna persecutions during the reign of Emperor Decius) attaches it as an appendix to his Vita Polycarpi.
The manuscript called The Martyrdom of Polycarp, is a gem of early Christian literature and describes the execution of Polycarp in the form of a letter. The text in Epistle format was sent on a collective behalf by the Church of Smyrna to the Christian community of Philomelio.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
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