Pervo : AD 135–140
83-720: (Redirected from St Ignatius ) St. Ignatius may refer to: People [ edit ] Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35 or 50 – between 98 and 117), third Patriarch of Antioch, considered a saint by the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556), founder of the Society of Jesus, considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church Patriarch Ignatius of Constantinople (c. 797–877), Patriarch of Constantinople, considered
166-509: A Catholic parish in Ohio, US St. Ignatius Hospital , Washington, US See also [ edit ] St. Ignatius Church (disambiguation) Saint Ignatius College (disambiguation) St. Ignatius High School (disambiguation) St. Ignatius Catholic School (disambiguation) All pages with titles containing St. Ignatius Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
249-541: A continuous succession between the original apostles of Jesus and the leaders of the church in his day. However, Jonathon Lookadoo argues that John Malalas and the Acts of Martyrdom's accounts of Ignatius are independent from Eusebius and they still place his death under Trajan. While many scholars accept this traditional dating, others have argued for a somewhat later date. Richard Pervo dated Ignatius' death to 135–140 AD. British classicist Timothy Barnes has argued for
332-596: A date in the 140s AD, on the grounds that Ignatius seems to have quoted a work of the Gnostic Ptolemy , who became active only in the 130s. Étienne Decrept has argued from the testimony of John Malalas and the Acts of Drosis that Ignatius was martyred under the reign of Trajan during Apollo's festival in July 116 AD, and in response to the earthquake at Antioch in late 115 AD. Ignatius wrote that he would be thrown to
415-500: A donation by the Imperial Governor of Syria to the games at Rome, a single prisoner seems a rather miserly gift." Instead, Davies proposes that Ignatius may have been indicted by a legate, or representative, of the governor of Syria while the governor was away temporarily, and sent to Rome for trial and execution. Under Roman law, only the governor of a province or the emperor himself could impose capital punishment , so
498-553: A fact he has knowledge about from personal observation. It is in this sense that the term first appears in the Book of Acts , in reference to the Apostles as "witnesses" of all that they had observed in the public life of Christ . In Acts 1:22 , Peter , in his address to the Apostles and disciples regarding the election of a successor to Judas , employs the term with this meaning: "Wherefore, of these men who have accompanied with us all
581-623: A journey or complete withdrawal from life". Also along these lines are the terms "wet martyr" (a person who has shed blood or been executed for the faith) and "dry martyr" (a person who "had suffered every indignity and cruelty" but not shed blood, nor suffered execution). The Center for the Study of Global Christianity of Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary, an evangelical seminary based in Hamilton, Massachusetts, previously estimated that 100,000 Christians die annually for their faith, although
664-431: A long essay attacking the authenticity of the epistles attributed to Ignatius. He argued that Callixtus , bishop of Rome, forged the letters around AD 220 to garner support for a monarchical episcopate , modeling the renowned Saint Ignatius after his own life to give precedent for his own authority. Killen contrasted this episcopal polity with the presbyterian polity in the writings of Polycarp. Some doubts about
747-477: A non-legal context, may also signify a proclamation that the speaker believes to be truthful. The term was used by Aristotle for observations, but also for ethical judgments and expressions of moral conviction that can not be empirically observed. There are several examples where Plato uses the term to signify "witness to truth", including in Laws . The Greek word martyr signifies a " witness " who testifies to
830-508: A period of growth and expansion Christians sought to gain control of the imperial office. The cult of the saints was significant to the process of Christianization , but during the first centuries of the Church the celebrations venerating the saints took place in hiding. Michael Gaddis writes that "[t]he Christian experience of violence during the pagan persecutions shaped the ideologies and practices that drove further religious conflicts over
913-575: A saint by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches Ignatius of Laconi (1701–1781), Capuchin friar, canonized in 1951, considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church Ignatius Brianchaninov (1807–1867), considered a saint by the Eastern Orthodox church Places [ edit ] St. Ignatius, Guyana , South America St. Ignatius, Montana , US St. Ignatius (White Oak) ,
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#1732801387611996-520: A scholarly consensus that the Middle Recension is the original version of the text. The Long Recension is the product of a fourth-century Arian Christian, who interpolated the Middle Recension epistles in order posthumously to enlist Ignatius as an unwitting witness in theological disputes of that age. This individual also forged the six spurious epistles attributed to Ignatius (see § Pseudo-Ignatius below). Manuscripts representing
1079-557: A significant proportion of income to the Islamic states while conversely reducing many Christians to poverty, and these financial and social hardships forced many Christians to convert to Islam. Christians unable to pay these taxes were forced to surrender their children to the Muslim rulers as payment who would sell them as slaves to Muslim households where they were forced to convert to Islam . Many Christian martyrs were executed under
1162-533: Is a report regarding the martyrdom of James son of Zebedee in Acts 12:1–2, and knowledge that both John and James, son of Zebedee, ended up martyred, appears to be reflected in Mark 10:39. Judith Perkins has written that many ancient Christians believed that "to be a Christian was to suffer," partly inspired by the example of Jesus. The lives of the martyrs became a source of inspiration for some Christians, and their relics were honored. Numerous crypts and chapels in
1245-534: Is also alluded to in 2 Timothy 4:6–7. While not specifying his Christianity as involved in the cause of death, the Jewish historian Josephus reports that James, whom he referred to as a brother of Jesus, was stoned by Jewish authorities under the charge of law breaking, which is similar to the Christian perception of Stephen's martyrdom as being a result of stoning for the penalty of law breaking. Furthermore, there
1328-639: Is known in three different recensions , or editions: the Short Recension, found in a Syriac manuscript ; the Middle Recension, found in Greek , Latin , Armenian , Slavonic , Coptic , Arabic , Ethiopic and Syriac manuscripts; and the Long Recension, found in Greek, Latin and Georgian manuscripts. For some time, it was believed that the Long Recension was the only extant version of
1411-564: Is merely a summary of the text of the Middle Recension, and was therefore composed later. Though the Catholic Church has always supported the authenticity of the letters, some Protestants have tended to deny the authenticity of all the epistles because they seem to attest to a monarchical episcopate in the second century. John Calvin called the epistles "rubbish published under Ignatius' name." In 1886, Presbyterian minister and church historian William Dool Killen published
1494-413: Is the earliest known Christian writer to emphasize loyalty to a single bishop in each city (or diocese ) who is assisted by both presbyters (elders) and deacons . Earlier writings only mention either bishops or presbyters. For instance, his writings on bishops, presbyters and deacons: Take care to do all things in harmony with God, with the bishop presiding in the place of God, and with
1577-464: The Apostles . Once Christians started to undergo persecution , the term came to be applied to those who suffered hardships for their faith. Finally, it was restricted to those who had been killed for their faith. The early Christian period before Constantine I was the "Age of Martyrs". "Early Christians venerated martyrs as powerful intercessors , and their utterances were treasured as inspired by
1660-669: The Civil War in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the report did not take into consideration the political or ethnic differences which are accepted as the primary motive behind these killings. Todd Johnson, director of the CSGC, says his centre has abandoned this statistic. The Vatican reporter and author of The Global War on Christians John L. Allen Jr. said: "I think it would be good to have reliable figures on this issue, but I don't think it ultimately matters in terms of
1743-566: The Donatist and Novatianist schisms . "Martyrdom for the faith ... became a central feature in the Christian experience." "Notions of persecution by the 'world', ... run deep in the Christian tradition. For evangelicals who read the New Testament as an inerrant history of the primitive church, the understanding that to be a Christian is to be persecuted is obvious, if not inescapable." The "eschatological ideology" of martyrdom
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#17328013876111826-662: The Early Middle Ages , the Christian populations living in the lands invaded by the Arab Muslim armies between the 7th and 10th centuries AD suffered religious discrimination , religious persecution , religious violence , and martyrdom multiple times at the hands of Arab Muslim officials and rulers. As People of the Book , Christians under Muslim rule were subjected to dhimmi status (along with Jews , Samaritans , Gnostics , Mandeans , and Zoroastrians ), which
1909-545: The First Commandment : "Why are there no martyrs these days, as there used to be?" Pauper responds that the English were creating many new martyrs sparing "neither their own king nor their own bishops, no dignity, no rank, no status, no degree". Pauper's statement is based on historical events, including the murder of King Richard II and the executions of Richard Scrope , Archbishop of York . Dana Piroyansky uses
1992-475: The Flavian age of any prisoners except citizens or prisoners of war being brought to Rome for execution." If Ignatius had been a Roman citizen, he could have appealed to the emperor, with the common result of execution by beheading rather than torture. However, Ignatius's letters state that he was put in chains during the journey, but it was against Roman law for a citizen to be put in bonds during an appeal to
2075-515: The Holy Spirit ." In western Christian art , martyrs are often shown holding a palm frond as an attribute , representing the victory of spirit over flesh, and it was widely believed that a picture of a palm on a tomb meant that a martyr was buried there. The use of the word μάρτυς ( mártys ) in non-biblical Greek was primarily in a legal context. It was used for a person who speaks from personal observation. The martyr , when used in
2158-473: The hagiographical tradition of saints and martyrs. This experience, and the associated martyrs and apologists , would have significant historical and theological consequences for the developing faith. Among other things, persecution sparked the devotion of the saints , facilitated the rapid growth and spread of Christianity, prompted defenses and explanations of Christianity (the "apologies" ) and, in its aftermath, raised fundamental questions about
2241-870: The sacraments , and the role of bishops . Epistle to the Ephesians Epistle to the Magnesians Epistle to the Trallians Epistle to the Romans Epistle to the Philadelphians Epistle to the Smyrnaeans Nothing is known of Ignatius' life apart from the words of his letters and later traditions. It is said Ignatius converted to Christianity at a young age. Tradition identifies him and his friend Polycarp as disciples of John
2324-683: The "cults of political saints" may have been a way of "showing resistance to the king" that would have been difficult to control or punish. Some Roman Catholic writers (such as Thomas Cahill ) continue to use a system of degrees of martyrdom that was developed in early Christianity. Some of these degrees bestow the title of martyr on those who sacrifice large elements of their lives alongside those who sacrifice life itself. These degrees were mentioned by Pope Gregory I in Homilia in Evangelia ; in it he wrote of "three modes of martyrdom, designated by
2407-514: The Apostle . Later, Ignatius was chosen to serve as Bishop of Antioch ; the fourth-century Church historian Eusebius writes that Ignatius succeeded Evodius . Theodoret of Cyrrhus claimed that St. Peter himself left directions that Ignatius be appointed to this episcopal see . Ignatius was called Theophorus (God Bearer). A tradition exists that he was one of the children whom Jesus Christ took in his arms and blessed. Ignatius' feast day
2490-699: The CSGC has now disavowed this estimate. Archbishop Silvano Maria Tomasi, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, later referred to this number in a radio address to the 23rd session of the Human Rights Council . The methodology used in arriving at the estimate of 100,000 has been widely criticized. The majority of the one million people the Center counted as Christians who died as martyrs between 2000 and 2010 died during
2573-423: The Christian concept of martyrdom can only be understood as springing from Jewish roots. Frend characterizes Judaism as "a religion of martyrdom" and that it was this "Jewish psychology of martyrdom" that inspired Christian martyrdom. Frend writes, "In the first two centuries AD. there was a living pagan tradition of self-sacrifice for a cause, a preparedness if necessary to defy an unjust ruler, that existed alongside
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2656-412: The Christian faith to save their lives: were they to be allowed back into the Church? Some felt they should not, while others said they could. In the end, it was agreed to allow them in after a period of penance . The re-admittance of the "lapsed" became a defining moment in the Church because it allowed the sacrament of repentance and readmission to the Church despite issues of sin . This issue caused
2739-406: The Church, writing: Wherever the bishop appears, there let the people be; as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful to baptize or give communion without the consent of the bishop. On the other hand, whatever has his approval is pleasing to God. Thus, whatever is done will be safe and valid. Christian martyrs In Christianity , a martyr is a person who
2822-934: The Coptic Month of Koiak (which is also the 24th day of the fourth month of Tahisas in the Synaxarium of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church ), corresponding in three years out of every four to 20 December in the Julian Calendar , which currently falls on 2 January of the Gregorian Calendar . Ignatius is honored in the Church of England and in the Episcopal Church on 17 October . Likewise, Lutheran Churches honor Ignatius on 17 October. Ignatius
2905-561: The Ephesians 20:2). He regarded persecution and suffering as conferring grace, and earnestly longed for his own martyrdom. Ignatius is claimed to be the first known Christian writer to argue in favor of Christianity's replacement of the Sabbath with the Lord's Day : Be not seduced by strange doctrines nor by antiquated fables, which are profitless. For if even unto this day we live after
2988-515: The Ephesians he quoted 1 Corinthians 1:18: Let my spirit be counted as nothing for the sake of the cross, which is a stumbling-block to those that do not believe, but to us salvation and life eternal. Ignatius is known to have taught the deity of Christ: There is one Physician who is possessed both of flesh and spirit; both made and not made; God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first passible and then impassible, even Jesus Christ our Lord. The same section in text of
3071-467: The Ignatian epistles, but around 1628 a Latin translation of the Middle Recension was discovered by Archbishop James Ussher , who published it in 1646. For around a quarter of a century after this, it was debated which recension represented the original text of the epistles. But ever since John Pearson 's strong defense of the authenticity of the Middle Recension in the late 17th century, there has been
3154-469: The Islamic death penalty for defending their Christian faith through dramatic acts of resistance such as refusing to convert to Islam, repudiation of the Islamic religion and subsequent reconversion to Christianity , and blasphemy toward Muslim beliefs . In Dives and Pauper , a 15th-century Middle English moral treatise on the Ten Commandments , the figure Dives poses this question about
3237-496: The Jews and Samaritans, also refused to worship other gods, but were not generally persecuted. Smith points out that the early Christians (in the 100's to the 200's) were accused of practicing magic and other crimes associated with magic, and that magic has been commonly neglected in discussions of the persecutions. Jacob Burkhardt writes that the reason for the persecution of Christians under Diocletian around 300 may have been that after
3320-665: The Long Recension says the following: But our Physician is the Only true God, the unbegotten and unapproachable, the Lord of all, the Father and Begetter of the only-begotten Son. We have also as a Physician the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ, the only-begotten Son and Word, before time began, but who afterwards became also man, of Mary the virgin. For "the Word was made flesh." Being incorporeal, He
3403-598: The Long Recension, except that to the Philippians), while the letter to the Romans is found in the Codex Colbertinus . Ignatius's letters bear signs of being written in great haste, such as run-on sentences and an unsystematic succession of thought. Ignatius modelled them after the biblical epistles of Paul, Peter, and John, quoting or paraphrasing these apostles' works freely. For example, in his letter to
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3486-708: The Roman catacombs bear witness to the early veneration for those champions of freedom of conscience. Special commemoration services, at which the holy Sacrifice were offered over their tombs gave rise to the time honoured custom of consecrating altars by enclosing in them the relics of martyrs. In its first three centuries , the Christian church endured periods of persecution at the hands of Roman authorities. Christians were persecuted by local authorities on an intermittent and ad hoc basis. In addition, there were several periods of empire-wide persecution which were directed from
3569-409: The Short Recension of the Ignatian epistles were discovered and published by William Cureton in the mid-19th century. For a brief period, there was a scholarly debate on the question of whether the Short Recension was earlier and more original than the Middle Recension. But by the end of the 19th century, Theodor Zahn and J. B. Lightfoot had established a scholarly consensus that the Short Recension
3652-563: The Spirit did wait for Him as their Teacher? And therefore He whom they rightly waited for, being come, raised them from the dead. This passage has provoked textual debate since the only Greek manuscript extant read Κατα κυριακήν ζωήν ζωντες which could be translated "living according to the Lord's life." Most scholars, however, have followed the Latin text (secundum dominicam) omitting ζωήν and translating "living according to Lord's Day". Ignatius
3735-612: The beasts; in the fourth century Eusebius reports a tradition that this did happen, while Jerome is the first to explicitly mention lions. John Chrysostom is the first to place of Ignatius' martyrdom at the Colosseum . Modern scholars are uncertain whether any of these authors had sources other than Ignatius' own writings. According to a medieval Christian text titled Martyrium Ignatii , Ignatius' remains were carried back to Antioch by his companions after his martyrdom. The sixth-century writings of Evagrius Scholasticus state that
3818-437: The chained Ignatius to meet with entire congregations of Christians, at least at Philadelphia (cf. Ign. Phil. 7), and numerous Christian visitors and messengers were allowed to meet with him individually. These messengers allowed Ignatius to send six letters to nearby churches, and one to Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. These aspects of Ignatius' martyrdom are also unusual, in that a prisoner would normally be transported on
3901-415: The church of Antioch, attributed to Ignatius' companions, Philō of Cilicia , deacon at Tarsus , and Rheus Agathopus , a Syrian. Its most reliable manuscript is the 10th-century collection Codex Colbertinus (Paris), in which it is the final item. The Martyrium presents the confrontation of Bishop Ignatius with Emperor Trajan at Antioch, a familiar trope of Acta of the martyrs, and many details of
3984-408: The cities gave further opportunities for the display of the martyr's faith. Boyarin points out that, despite their apparent opposition to each other, both of these arguments are based on the assumption that Judaism and Christianity were already two separate and distinct religions. He challenges that assumption and argues that "making of martyrdom was at least in part, part and parcel of the process of
4067-530: The colors, red, blue (or green), and white". A believer was bestowed the title of red martyr due to either torture or violent death by religious persecution. The term "white martyrdom" was used by the Church Father Jerome , "for those such as desert hermits who aspired to the condition of martyrdom through strict asceticism". Blue (or green) martyrdom "involves the denial of desires, as through fasting and penitent labors without necessarily implying
4150-531: The conflict between King Antiochus Epiphanes IV and the Jewish people. 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees recount numerous martyrdoms suffered by Jews resisting the Hellenizing of their Seleucid overlords, being executed for such crimes as observing the Sabbath, circumcising their children, or refusing to eat pork or meat sacrificed to foreign gods. With few exceptions, this assumption has lasted from
4233-416: The course of the fourth and fifth centuries". Martyrdom was a formative experience and influenced how Christians justified or condemned the use of violence in later generations. Thus, the collective memory of religious suffering found in early Christian works on the historical experience of persecution, religious suffering and martyrdom shaped Christian culture and identity. Historians recognize that during
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#17328013876114316-410: The developing Christian concept of martyrdom inherited from Judaism." In contrast to Frend's hypothesis, Boyarin describes G. W. Bowersock's view of Christian martyrology as being completely unrelated to the Jewish practice, being instead "a practice that grew up in an entirely Roman cultural environment and then was borrowed by Jews". Bowersock argues that the Christian tradition of martyrdom came from
4399-594: The early Christian period to this day, accepted both by Jews and Christians. According to Daniel Boyarin, there are "two major theses with regard to the origins of Christian martyrology, which [can be referred to] as the Frend thesis and the Bowersock thesis". Boyarin characterizes W. H. C. Frend's view of martyrdom as having originated in Judaism and Christian martyrdom as a continuation of that practice. Frend argues that
4482-460: The emperor. Allen Brent argues that Ignatius was transferred to Rome for the emperor to provide a spectacle as a victim in the Colosseum . Brent insists, contrary to some, that "it was normal practice to transport condemned criminals from the provinces in order to offer spectator sport in the Colosseum at Rome." Stevan Davies rejects this idea, reasoning that: "if Ignatius was in some way
4565-416: The end of the first century, employs the word with this meaning. A distinction between martyrs and confessors is traceable to the latter part of the second century: those only were martyrs who had suffered the extreme penalty, whereas the title of confessor was given to Christians who had shown their willingness to die for their belief, by bravely enduring imprisonment or torture, but were not put to death. Yet
4648-545: The legate would have faced the choice of imprisoning Ignatius in Antioch or sending him to Rome. Transporting the bishop might have avoided further agitation by the Antiochene Christians. Christine Trevett calls Davies' suggestion "entirely hypothetical" and concludes that no fully satisfactory solution to the problem can be found: "I tend to take the bishop at his word when he says he is a condemned man. But
4731-557: The letters' authenticity continued into the 20th century. In the 1970s and 1980s, the scholars Robert Joly , Reinhard Hübner, Markus Vinzent , and Thomas Lechner argued forcefully that the epistles of the Middle Recension were forgeries from the reign of Marcus Aurelius (161–180 AD). Joseph Ruis-Camps published a study arguing that the Middle Recension letters were pseudepigraphically composed based on an original, smaller, authentic corpus of four letters ( Romans , Magnesians , Trallians , and Ephesians ). In 2009, Otto Zwierlein support
4814-413: The lifetime of the Apostles, the term martyrs came to be used in the sense of a witness who at any time might be called upon to deny what he testified to, under penalty of death. From this stage the transition was easy to the ordinary meaning of the term, as used ever since in Christian literature : a martyr, or witness of Christ, is a person who suffers death rather than deny his faith . Saint John , at
4897-480: The long journey to Rome. The Synaxarium of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria says that he was thrown to the wild beasts that devoured him. The following seven epistles preserved under the name of Ignatius are generally considered authentic, since they were mentioned by the historian Eusebius in the first half of the fourth century. Seven original epistles: The text of these epistles
4980-483: The making of Judaism and Christianity as distinct entities". The Apostle Paul taught that Jesus was "obedient unto death," a 1st century Jewish phrasing for self-sacrifice in Jewish law . Because of this, some scholars believe Jesus' death was Jewish martyrdom. Jesus himself said he had come to fulfill the Torah . The Catholic Church calls Jesus the "King of Martyrs" because, as a man, he refused to commit sin unto
5063-401: The manner of Judaism, we avow that we have not received grace. ...If then those who had walked in ancient practices attained unto newness of hope, no longer observing Sabbaths but fashioning their lives after the Lord's day, on which our life also arose through Him ... how shall we be able to live apart from Him? If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to
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#17328013876115146-541: The most direct route to his destination. Travel by land in the Roman Empire was far more expensive than by sea, especially since Antioch was a major sea port. Davies argues that Ignatius' circuitous route can only be explained by positing that he was not the main purpose of the soldiers' trip, and that the various stops in Asia Minor were for other state business. He suggests that such a scenario would also explain
5229-633: The nature of the Church . Stephen is the first martyr reported in the New Testament, accused of blasphemy and stoned by the Sanhedrin under the Levitical law . Toward the end of the 1st century, the martyrdom of both Peter and Paul is reported by Clement of Rome in 1 Clement . The martyrdom of Peter is also alluded to in various writings written between 70 and 130 AD, including in John 21:19; 1 Peter 5:1; and 2 Peter 1:12–15. The martyrdom of Paul
5312-404: The point of shedding blood. Tertullian , one of the 2nd-century ecclesiastical writers wrote that "the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church ", implying that a martyr's willing sacrifice of their lives leads to the conversion of others . The Age of Martyrs also forced the church to confront theological issues such as the proper response to those Christians who "lapsed" and renounced
5395-412: The possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death—whom some deny, by which mystery we have obtained faith, and therefore endure, that we may be found the disciples of Jesus Christ, our only Master—how shall we be able to live apart from Him, whose disciples the prophets themselves in
5478-400: The presbyters in the place of the council of the apostles, and with the deacons, who are most dear to me, entrusted with the business of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father from the beginning and is at last made manifest. He is also responsible for the first known use of the Greek word katholikos (καθολικός), or catholic, meaning "universal", "complete", "general", and/or "whole" to describe
5561-466: The question remains, why is he going to Rome? The truth is that we do not know." During the journey to Rome, Ignatius and his entourage of soldiers made a number of lengthy stops in Asia Minor , deviating from the most direct land route from Antioch to Rome. Scholars generally agree on the following reconstruction of Ignatius' route of travel: During the journey, the soldiers seem to have allowed
5644-401: The relative freedom that Ignatius was given to meet with other Christians during the journey. Tradition places Ignatius's martyrdom in the reign of Trajan (c. 98-117 AD). The earliest source for this is the 4th century church historian Eusebius of Caesarea . Richard Pervo argues that Eusebius may have had an ideological interest in dating church leaders as early as possible, and asserting
5727-722: The reputed remains of Ignatius were moved by the Emperor Theodosius II to the Tychaeum, or Temple of Tyche , and converted it into a church dedicated to Ignatius. In 637, when Antioch was captured by the Rashidun Caliphate , the relics were transferred to the Basilica di San Clemente in Rome. The Martyrium Ignatii is an account of the saint's martyrdom. It is presented as an eye-witness account for
5810-415: The seat of government in Rome. Christians were the targets of persecution because they refused to worship the Roman gods or to pay homage to the emperor as divine . In the Roman Empire , refusing to sacrifice to the Emperor or the empire's gods was tantamount to refusing to swear an oath of allegiance to one's country. However, some scholars, such as Morton Smith, point out that other sects, such as
5893-508: The term "political martyrs" for men of "high estate", including kings and bishops, who were killed during the Late Middle Ages during the course of the rebellions, civil wars, regime changes, and other political upheavals of the 14th and 15th centuries. Piroyansky notes that although these men were never formally canonized as saints , they were venerated as miracle-working martyrs and their tombs were turned into shrines following their violent and untimely deaths. J. C. Russell has written that
5976-448: The term martyr was still sometimes applied during the third century to persons still living, as, for instance, by Cyprian who gave the title of martyrs to a number of bishops, priests, and laymen condemned to penal servitude in the mines. Religious martyrdom is considered one of the more significant contributions of Second Temple Judaism to western civilization. It is believed that the concept of voluntary death for God developed out of
6059-487: The thesis of a forgery written around 170 AD. These publications stirred up heated scholarly controversy, but by 2017, most patristic scholars accepted the authenticity of the seven original epistles. The original texts of six of the seven original letters are found in the Codex Mediceo Laurentianus , written in Greek in the 11th century (which also contains the pseudepigraphical letters of
6142-460: The time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection". The Apostles , according to tradition, faced grave dangers until eventually almost all suffered death for their convictions. The Bible reports the martyrdom of two of the apostles. Thus, within
6225-874: The title St. Ignatius . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St._Ignatius&oldid=1119262704 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Title and name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Ignatius of Antioch Ignatius of Antioch ( / ɪ ɡ ˈ n eɪ ʃ ə s / ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ἰγνάτιος Ἀντιοχείας , translit. Ignátios Antiokheías ; died c. 108/140 AD), also known as Ignatius Theophorus ( Ἰγνάτιος ὁ Θεοφόρος , Ignátios ho Theophóros , 'the God-bearing';),
6308-663: The urban culture of the Roman Empire, especially in Asia Minor: Martyrdom was ... solidly anchored in the civic life of the Graeco-Roman world of the Roman empire. It ran its course in the great urban spaces of the agora and the amphitheater, the principal settings for public discourse and for public spectacle. It depended upon the urban rituals of the imperial cult and the interrogation protocols of local and provincial magistrates. The prisons and brothels of
6391-546: Was an early Christian writer and Patriarch of Antioch . While en route to Rome , where he met his martyrdom , Ignatius wrote a series of letters. This correspondence forms a central part of a later collection of works by the Apostolic Fathers . He is considered one of the three most important of these, together with Clement of Rome and Polycarp . His letters also serve as an example of early Christian theology , and address important topics including ecclesiology ,
6474-514: Was based on an irony found in the Pauline epistles : "to live outside of Christ is to die, and to die in Christ is to live." In Ad Martyras , Tertullian writes that some Christians "eagerly desired it" ( et ultro appetita ) [i.e. martyrdom]. The martyr homilies were written in ancient Greek by authors such as Basil of Caesarea , Gregory of Nyssa , Asterius of Amasea , John Chrysostom , and Hesychius of Jerusalem . These homilies were part of
6557-509: Was condemned to death for his faith, but instead of being executed in his home town of Antioch, the bishop was taken to Rome by a company of ten soldiers: From Syria even unto Rome I fight with beasts, both by land and sea, both by night and day, being bound to ten leopards, I mean a band of soldiers... Scholars consider Ignatius' transport to Rome unusual, since those persecuted as Christians would be expected to be punished locally. Stevan Davies has pointed out that "no other examples exist from
6640-463: Was in the body, being impassible, He was in a passible body, being immortal, He was in a mortal body, being life, He became subject to corruption, that He might free our souls from death and corruption, and heal them, and might restore them to health, when they were diseased with ungodliness and wicked lusts. He stressed the value of the Eucharist , calling it a "medicine of immortality" ( Ignatius to
6723-784: Was inferior to the status of Muslims. Christians and other religious minorities thus faced religious discrimination and religious persecution , in that they were banned from proselytising (for Christians, it was forbidden to evangelize or spread Christianity ) in the lands invaded by the Arab Muslims on pain of death; they were banned from bearing arms, undertaking certain professions, and were obligated to dress differently in order to distinguish themselves from Arabs. Under sharia , non-Muslims were obligated to pay jizya and kharaj taxes, together with periodic heavy ransom levied upon Christian communities by Muslim rulers in order to fund military campaigns, all of which contributed
6806-550: Was kept in his own Antioch on 17 October, the day on which he is now celebrated in the Catholic Church and generally in western Christianity , although from the 12th century until 1969 it was put at 1 February in the General Roman Calendar . In the Eastern Orthodox Church it is observed on 20 December. The Synaxarium of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria places it on the 24th of
6889-506: Was killed for their testimony for Jesus or faith in Jesus. In the years of the early church , stories depict this often occurring through death by sawing , stoning , crucifixion , burning at the stake , or other forms of torture and capital punishment . The word martyr comes from the Koine word μάρτυς, mártys , which means "witness" or "testimony". At first, the term applied to
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