St. Polycarp (69-155)

Feast Day: February 23
Canonized: Pre-Congregation
Patron of those suffering from earaches

Saint Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (Turkey), fought early Church heresy, was friend to St. Ignatius of Antioch, and was martyred for his faith.

Polycarp was a Greek-speaking Christian of the Roman Empire. He learned the faith directly from the Apostle John and used his knowledge to battle heretics, including those who claimed Christ was God but not man. He dubbed his opponents “anti-Christs” and “the firstborn of Satan.”

Polycarp ran afoul of Roman officials when he declared that Christ was a higher authority than Caesar. Afterward he fled arrest, hid, and prayed. In a vision, it was related to him that he’d be burned alive.

A friend being tortured betrayed Polycarp to Roman authorities, and he was thus captured. The Romans promised to free him if he’d declare “Caesar is Lord.” Polycarp refused. He was again offered a reprieve if he’d burn incense to Caesar. Polycarp again refused, and said, “I am a Christian … you threaten me with fire, which burns for an hour, and after a little is extinguished. But you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly.”

He was burned at the stake, then stabbed after the fire failed to consume him.