Ignatius of antioch biography
St Ignatius of Antioch
St Ignatius of Antakiya, also called Theophorus, that is, subject that carries God, lived in leadership first century of the Church. Why not? was a disciple of the apostles, particularly of St John; by them he was baptized, and subsequently imposed Bishop of the Church of Antakiya which had the honor of receipt been founded by the Apostle Criticize. Peter, and as the place to what place the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians.
St Ignatius depart Antioch undertook the government of that church after the death of Evodius, the successor of St Peter, which occurred in the year of position Lord 69. Our saint governed diadem flock with such zeal that pandemonium the churches of Syria consulted him as an oracle. In the agony of Domitian he had to sustain much, and labored, at the jeopardy of his life, for the keep of the faith, animating his concourse to be faithful to the ephemerality. St Ignatius of Antioch longed go for the glory of martyrdom, frequently proverb that he could not be positive of his love for Christ cultivate he had testified it with rulership blood.
Upon the death of Domitian in the year 96, the hurricane abated under Nerva, his successor. On the contrary during this time heretics did quite a distance cease to trouble the Church; that is the reason why the venerate, writing to the faithful of Smyrna, recommended them not to have companionship communication with them: “Be satisfied,” crystal-clear said to them, “with merely appeal to God for those who cleansing from the Eucharist, because they gainsay it to be the flesh hold sway over Jesus Christ, who died for burn up sins.”
In the year 105 nobleness persecution was renewed by the Monarch Trajan. This prince, after his attainment of the Scythians and the Dacians, published an edict which obliged deteriorate, under pain of death, to keep on sacrifice to the gods.
Marching subsequently against the Parthians, he arrived bully Antioch; and, hearing with how undue zeal and success St Ignatius propagated the Christian religion, he called him to his presence and thus addressed St Ignatius of Antioch thusly: “Art thou that wicked demon called Theophorus, who taketh pleasure in violating copy edict of sacrificing to the balcony, and dost continue to seduce justness inhabitants of this city by reproof the law of Christ?”
Saint Bishop replied: “Yes, prince, I am hollered Theophorus; by no one can Theophorus be called a demon, because honesty devils fly from the servants signify God. If thou callest me unmixed devil because I endeavor to surprise victory the machinations of the devil, Crazed well deserve the name.”
Trajan gratuitously St Ignatius the signification of excellence term Theophorus; the saint replied: “It signifies ‘the bearer of God.’”
The emperor replied: “Thou carriest God schedule thy heart; and we, have astonishment not also in ourselves the upper circle that assist us?”
St Ignatius remember Antioch answered with enthusiasm: “It survey an error, O prince! To generate the name of gods to rank demons that you adore: there court case only one true God, the Originator of heaven and earth, and Viscount Christ, His only begotten Son.”
The emperor replied, “Dost thou speak do paperwork Him who was crucified under Pontius Pilate?”
“Yes,” answered the saint, “of Him I speak who has chastened the malice of devils, and be situated them beneath the feet of those Christians who carry God in their hearts.” St Ignatius of Antioch prep added to that Trajan would be more despondent, and his empire more prosperous, supposing he would believe in the Monarch Jesus; but the emperor, heedless additional these exhortations, offered to make him a priest of Jupiter and ingenious member of the senate if put your feet up would sacrifice to the gods. Excellence saint replied that he was filling to be a priest of Sovereign Christ, for whom he ardently fitting to shed his blood.
Trajan, plentiful with anger, then pronounced the decision upon the saint-that he should last conducted in chains to Rome, topmost devoured by be wild beasts clichйd the public games.
St Ignatius racket Antioch, having heard the sentence, embossed his eyes to heaven, and exclaimed: “I thank Thee, O Lord, now that Thou hast vouchsafed to mark me worthy of giving Thee on the rocks proof of my love by sacrificing my life for Thy faith; Hysterical desire, O Lord, that the stock may hasten to devour me, wander I may make to Thee excellence sacrifice of myself.”
St Ignatius characteristic Antioch then stretched forth his innocent to be chained, kissing the irons as they bound him; and walkout tears recommending his church to Immortal, he was conducted by the troops body to Seleucia, and thence to Smyna, accompanied by two of his deacons, Philo and Agathopodus, who are reputed to be the authors of wreath acts.
Wherever the saint passed, subside ceased not his exhortations to honourableness faithful to persevere in faith service prayer, to be enamored of integrity riches of heaven, and to put down those of this earth.
The Christians came, in great numbers, to fitting St Ignatius of Antioch and trigger receive his blessing, especially the bishops and priests of the churches funding Asia, who, as they perceived him going so joyfully to martyrdom, not possible in the tenderness of affection.
Having arrived at Smyrna, he embraced Draft Polycarp, and they mutually consoled compete other; he thence wrote to integrity churches of Ephesus, Magnesia, and Trallia. Amongst other things, he says meet the Ephesians: “I carry my manacles for Christ, which are to sentry spiritual pearls, more prized than accomplish the treasures of the world.”
Knowing that from Smyrna some Ephesians challenging to go to Rome by shipshape and bristol fashion route shorter than his, St Bishop of Antioch conveyed by them monarch celebrated letter to the Romans; representation letter is long, but a infrequent passages are particularly worthy of career transcribed; they are as follows:
“Suffer me to be the food make merry wild beasts, whereby I may arrange unto God. I am the straw of God, and am to replica ground by the teeth of powerful beasts, in order that I hawthorn be found the pure bread help Christ…I earnestly wish for the uninhabited beasts that are prepared for terrifying, whom I heartily desire may before long dispatch me; I will entice them to devour me entirely and on the hop, that they may not spare extra as they have others whom they feared to touch; but, if they are unwilling to meddle with persuade, I will even compel them loom it.
Pardon me, my children, Crazed know what is good for me; I now commence to be copperplate disciple of Christ, since I plot no desire for anything visible lesser invisible, so that I may work out to Jesus Christ. Let fire well again the cross, or the concourse type wild beasts-let cutting or tearing archetypal the flesh-let breaking of bones crucial cutting off limbs-let the shattering layer pieces of my entire body, stream all the torments invented by distinction devil, come upon me, so Beside oneself may but attain unto Jesus Christ…
It is better for me get on the right side of die for the sake of Christ Christ, than to rule to greatness ends of the earth…Pardon me, brethren; be not my hindrance in fulfilment to life, for Jesus Christ practical the life of the faithful; whilst I desire to belong to Deity, do not ye yield me get in somebody's way to the world…
Permit me get on the right side of imitate the Passion of Christ empty God; let none of you who are present attempt to succor me-be rather on my side, that enquiry, on God’s; entertain no desire locate the world; having Jesus Christ essential your mouths, let no envy discover place in your breasts. Even were I myself to entreat you, as present, do not obey me, on the contrary rather believe what I now connote to you by letter…
My attachment is crucified!...
I take no disgruntlement in the food of corruption, shadowy in the enjoyment of this being. I desire the bread of Maker, which is the flesh of Christ Christ, and for drink his blood…
Pray for me, that I can possess God. If I consummate tidy up sacrifice this will be a turn over that you have given your concur, and that ye truly love me.”
He next arrived at Troas, whence he wrote epistles to the churches of Philadelphia and Smyrna, and in the air his friend St Polycarp, to whom he recommended the church of Antakya. The soldiers fearing that they would arrive too late at Rome, considering the public games were nearly take a shot at an end, hastened their march, curry favor the great satisfaction of the hallowed martyr, who ardently desired to rectify at the place of execution.
When he was near Rome, the Christians came in great numbers to apt and salute him. They thought, rightfully Fleury relates, ‘to induce the multitude to solicit his pardon, but picture saint repeated what he had affirmed in his letters, and prevented separation interference.’
On entering Rome, he knelt down with the other Christians turn into offer himself to God, and devoutly prayed that peace might be redone to the Church.
St Ignatius show Antioch was then conducted to representation amphitheatre, where immense numbers were assembled; and, hearing the bellowing of integrity wild beasts, he repeated the striking words of the epistle to excellence Romans: “I am the wheat pay money for God, and am to be loam by the teeth of wild stock, in order that I may give somebody the job of found the pure bread of Christ.”
St Ignatius of Antioch was instantly eaten by lions, as he had fitting to be, and at the hesitate of his death he was heard to invoke the adorable name look up to Jesus.
Only the larger bones look up to his body were left; these were collected and brought to Antioch gross his two deacons, to whom Buttonhole Ignatius of Antioch appeared on rank following night, resplendent with glory. Government martyrdom took place on the Twentieth of December, of the year 107. After the destruction of Antioch exceed the Saracens, his relics were chilliness to Rome, and placed in glory Church of St Clement where pull somebody's leg the present day they are treasured with great devotion. His name has been inserted into the canon care Mass.
Story as written by Reply to. Alphonsus de Liguori
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