February 23

St. Polycarp

When they lived: St. Polycarp lived from around 69 AD to 155 AD. He was born in Smyrna, which is modern-day Izmir in Turkey.

Where they lived: St. Polycarp spent most of his life in Smyrna, which was a thriving Roman city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Smyrna was known for its significant Christian community and its role as a hub of trade and culture in the Eastern Mediterranean during that time.

Notable world events during the time of their life:

The Great Fire of Rome (64 AD): This devastating fire occurred during St. Polycarp’s early years and was blamed on Christians by the Roman authorities. It led to the persecution of Christians, setting the stage for the challenges faced by early Christians like Polycarp.
Roman Emperor Trajan’s Reign (98-117 AD): Trajan’s rule marked a period of relative stability and expansion in the Roman Empire. During this time, the early Christian community was growing, and policies regarding their treatment varied across the empire.
Bar Kokhba Revolt (132-136 AD): This Jewish rebellion against Roman rule in Judea had significant consequences for the Jewish and Christian communities. It led to further tension between Jews and Christians, who were increasingly seen as distinct from Judaism.
Ptolemy’s Almagest (c. 150 AD): Although not directly related to St. Polycarp’s life, Ptolemy’s work on astronomy, the “Almagest,” was a groundbreaking scientific achievement during this period, influencing the understanding of the cosmos for centuries.
The Antonine Plague (165-180 AD): This devastating pandemic, which occurred shortly after St. Polycarp’s death, had a profound impact on the Roman Empire, affecting society, trade, and the stability of the state.

Their patronage: St. Polycarp is recognized as the patron saint of several groups and causes:

Smyrna/Izmir: As a native of Smyrna, he is a patron of this city and its Christian community.
Dyers: St. Polycarp is also the patron saint of dyers, likely because of the symbolism of dyeing, which can represent the transformation of one’s soul through faith.
Earaches and epilepsy: There are accounts of St. Polycarp miraculously healing individuals suffering from earaches and epilepsy, so he is considered a patron for those with these afflictions.
Against fear of fire: Legend has it that when St. Polycarp was burned at the stake, the flames did not harm him. This led to his association with protection from fire and related fears.

St. Polycarp’s life and legacy are not only intertwined with early Christianity but also offer a window into the complex and dynamic world of the Roman Empire during the second century. His story of unwavering faith and courage in the face of persecution continues to inspire many today.

At the Feet of the Beloved Disciple

It must have been a great privilege to be taught by the Apostles and to hear their personal encounters with Jesus from their own testimonies. What an honor to be with those men who had seen the Lord with their own eyes and who had heard His teachings! That was what our beloved Polycarp experienced as a humble disciple of St. John the Evangelist.

According to tradition, St. Polycarp was born around 69 AD. He was of Greek origin and became the bishop of Smyrna. He was one of the most revered Christian leaders during the first half of the second century. Being a leader of the early Christian community, he faced several challenges, particularly how he would carry out the teachings of Jesus correctly and how he would answer questions that never existed during the time of the Apostles.

Responding to Controversies

Now that the Apostles were gone, the early Church started to encounter serious issues. Heresies sprang up under the guise of true teaching. The Roman Emperors ordered persecution among the Christians. Arguments and controversies arose over many concerns, like how to celebrate the liturgy, the liturgy that Jesus never laid down rubrics for.

Polycarp, the holy bishop of Smyrna, had but one response to all of these: sequela Christi, that is, to be faithful to the life of Jesus and to imitate His life. When faced with heresies, he showed his candidness, which imitated the response of Jesus to the Pharisees. Marcion, the figurehead of the Marcionites, who were adherents of a dualistic heresy, confronted Polycarp and demanded respect by saying, “Recognize us, Polycarp.” Polycarp answered that he indeed recognized him and that Marcion is the “firstborn of Satan”. When faced with Christian disagreements, he was all respect and forgiveness.

Polycarp was a close friend of another great leader, Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch. On his way to his cruel yet glorious martyrdom in Rome, Ignatius visited Polycarp at Smyrna and later wrote him a personal letter at Troas. Polycarp’s leadership was recognized by the churches in Asia Minor by choosing him as a representative to discuss with Pope Anicetus the date of what was considered to be a major controversy in the early Church, that is, the celebration of Easter in Rome.

Even unto Death

Polycarp was not spared from dying a martyr’s death. One day, during a bloody “show” when Christians were attacked by wild animals in the arena, the crowd became so mad that they demanded more of this “show”. They were bored by seeing “ordinary” Christians being killed. And so, to satisfy their insatiable appetite for violence, they demanded that the old Polycarp be captured and killed.

The horrible demand reached the holy bishop. The Christians persuaded Polycarp to flee and leave the city. He spent his time in deep prayer for the people he loved and for the Church. While he was praying, he saw a vision of his pillow turning into fire. He announced this to his friends, saying that his dream meant he would be burned alive.

After he was captured, Polycarp was brought to the Smyrna stadium to be killed. The proconsul offered him the chance to renounce his faith and worship the emperor. Polycarp refused to do such an act. In order to instill more fear, the proconsul said that Polycarp would be burned alive if he did not abandon the faith. Once again, the 86-year-old bishop refused, for he believed that an hour of fire was better than eternal fire. After praying, Polycarp was burned at the stake. However, the flames did him no harm. When the captors saw he was not being burned, they stabbed him. The blood that flowed from the bishop put the fire out. Unwilling to allow the Christians to reclaim the body of the martyred bishop, the authorities ordered that Polycarp’s body be burned. Polycarp was believed to have been martyred on February 23, 156.

Five Interesting Facts About St. Polycarp

St. Polycarp is the patron saint of earaches, dysentery, and intestinal disorders.
St. Polycarp was apparently the last to be martyred in Smyrna.
There is an existing account of St. Polycarp’s martyrdom. It is entitled “The Martyrdom of Polycarp”. It is believed to be an eyewitness account and one of the oldest “actas” of a Christian martyr.
Since the persecutors did not permit the Christians to recover the remains of St. Polycarp, they stole the martyr’s bones! This is considered to be one of the earliest examples of the veneration of relics.
The relics of St. Polycarp are kept in a marble stone under the main altar of the Church of SantAmbrogio della Massima in Italy.

Prayer to St. Polycarp

God of all creation,You gave Your bishop Polycarp the privilege of being counted among the saints who gave their lives in faithful witness to the Gospel. May his prayers give us the courage to share with him the cup of suffering and to rise to eternal glory. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.