St. Ignatius, not being allowed time to write to the other churches of Asia, commissioned St. Polycarp to do it for him. From Troas they sailed to Neapolis in Macedonia, and went thence to Philippi, from which place they crossed Macedonia and Epirus on foot; but took shipping again at Epidamnum in Dalmatia, and sailing by Rhegium and Puteoli, were carried by a strong gale into the Roman port, the great station of the navy near Ostia, at the mouth of the Tiber, sixteen miles from Rome. He would gladly have landed at Puteoli, to have traced St. Paul's steps, by going on foot from that place to Rome, but the wind rendered it impracticable. On landing, the authors of these acts, who were his companions, say they were seized with great grief, seeing they were soon to be separated from their dear master; but he rejoiced to find himself so near the end of his race. The soldiers hastened him on, because the public shows were drawing to an end. The faithful of Rome came out to meet him, rejoicing at the sight of him, but grieving that they were so soon to lose him by a barbarous death. They earnestly wished that he might be released at the request of the people. The martyr knew in spirit their thoughts, and said much more to them than he had done in his letter on the subject of true charity, conjuring them not to obstruct his going to the Lord. Then kneeling with all the brethren, he prayed to the Son of God for the Church, for the ceasing of the persecution, and for perpetual charity and unanimity among the faithful. He arrived at Rome the 20th of December, the last day of the public entertainments, and was presented to the prefect of the city, to whom the emperor's letter was delivered at the same time. He was then hurried by the soldiers into the amphitheatre. The saint hearing the lions roar, cried out: "I am the wheat of the Lord; I must be ground by the teeth of these beasts to be made the pure bread of Christ." Two fierce lions being let out upon him, they instantly devoured him, leaving nothing of his body but the larger bones: thus his prayer was heard. "After having been present at this sorrowful spectacle," say our authors, "which made us shed many tears, we spent the following night in our house in watching and prayer, begging of God to afford us some comfort by certifying us of his glory." They relate, that their prayer was heard, and that several of them in their slumber saw him in great bliss. They are exact in setting down the day of his death, that they might assemble yearly thereon to honor his martyrdom.[10] They add, that his bones were taken up and carried to Antioch, and there laid in a chest as an inestimable treasure. St. Chrysostom says his relics were carried in triumph on the shoulders of all the cities from Rome to Antioch. They were first laid in the cemetery without the Daphnitic gate, but in the reign of Theodosius the younger were translated thence with great pomp to a church in the city, which had been a temple of Fortune, but from this time bore his name, as Evagrius {332} relates.[11] St. Chrysostom exhorts all people to visit them, assuring them they would receive thereby many advantages, spiritual and corporal, which he proves at length.[12] They are now at Rome, in the church of St. Clement, pope, whither they were brought about the time when Antioch fell into the hands of the Saracens in the reign of Heraclius, in 637.[13] The regular canons at Arouaise near Bapaume in Artois, the Benedictin monks at Liesse in Haynault, and some other churches, have obtained each some bone of this glorious martyr.[14] The Greeks keep his feast a holyday on the day of his death, the 20th of December. His martyrdom happened in 107.
* * * * *
The perfect spirit of humility, meekness, patience, charity, and all other Christian virtues, which the seven epistles of St. Ignatius breathe in every part, cannot fail deeply to affect all who attentively read them. Critics confess that they find in them a sublimity, an energy and beauty of thought and expression, which they cannot sufficiently admire. But the Christian is far more astonished at the saint's perfect disengagement of heart from the world, the ardor of his love for God, and the earnestness of his desire of martyrdom. Every period in them is full of profound sense, which must be attentively meditated on before we can discover the divine sentiments of all virtues which are here expressed. Nor can we consider them without being inspired by some degree of the same, and being covered with confusion to find ourselves fall so far short of the humility and fervor of the primitive saints. Let us listen to the instructions which this true disciple of Christ gives in his letter to the Philadelphians, an abstract of his other six epistles being given above. He begins it by a strenuous recommendation of union with their bishop, priests, and deacons; and gives to their bishop (whom he does not name) great praises, especially for his humility and meekness, insomuch that he says his silence was more powerful than the vain discourses of others, and that conversing with an unchangeable serenity of mind, and in the sweetness of the living God, he was utterly a stranger to anger. He charges them to refrain from the pernicious weeds of heresy and schism, which are not planted by the Father, nor kept by Christ. "Whoever belong to God and Jesus Christ, these are with the bishop. If any one follows him who maketh a schism, he obtains not the inheritance of the kingdom of God. He who walks in the simplicity of obedience is not enslaved to his passion. Use one eucharist: for the flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ is one, and the cup is one in the unity of his blood. There is one altar, as there is one bishop, with the college of the priesthood and the deacons, my fellow-servants, that you may do all things according to God. My brethren, my heart is exceedingly dilated in the tender love which I bear you, and exulting beyond bounds, I render you secure and cautious; not I indeed, but Jesus Christ, in whom being bound I fear the more for myself, being yet imperfect. But your prayer with God will make me perfect, that I may obtain the portion which his mercy assigns me." Having cautioned them against adopting Jewish ceremonies, and against divisions and schisms, he mentions one that had lately happened among them, and speaks of a revelation which he had received of it as follows: "When I was among you, I cried out with a loud voice, with the voice of God, saying: Hearken to your bishop, and the priesthood, and the deacons. Some suspected that I said this from a foresight of the division which some afterwards {333} made. But He for whom I am in chains is my witness, that I knew it not from man, but the Spirit declared it, saying: Do ye nothing without your bishop. Keep your body holy as the temple of God. Be lovers of unity; shun all divisions. Be ye imitators of Jesus Christ, as he is of the Father. I therefore did what lay in me, as one framed to maintain union. Where disagreement or anger is found, there God never dwells. But God forgives all penitents." He charges them to send some person of honor from their church to congratulate with his church in Syria upon peace being restored to it, and calls him blessed who should be honored with this commission.
Footnotes:
1. The accent placed on the penultima of [Greek: Theophoros], as the
word is written in the saint's acts, denotes it of an active
signification, one that carrieth God; but of the passive, carried
of God, if placed on the antepenultima.
2. St. Gregory tells us, (l. 4, ep. 37,) that he was a disciple of St.
Peter. The apostolic constitutions add, also of St. Paul, (l. 7, c.
46.) We are assured by St. Chrysostom (Hom. in St. Ignat.) and
Theodoret, (Dial. 1, p. 33,) that he was made bishop by the
direction of the apostles, and by the imposition of their hands. St.
Chrysostom says, that St. Peter appointed him bishop to govern the
see of Antioch, when he quitted it himself; which seems also to be
affirmed by Origen, (in Luc. Hom. 6,) St. Athanasius, (de Syn. p.
922,) F{}dus, &c. Baronius thinks he was left by St. Peter, bishop
of the Jewish converts, and became bishop also of the Gentiles in
68: for Eusebius (Hist. l. 3, c. 22, 36.) says, that St. Evodius
succeeded St. Peter at Antioch; he adds in his chronicle, in the
year 43, that he died in 68, and was succeeded by St. Ignatius. Some
think there is a mistake in the chronicle of Eusebius, as to the
year of the death of Evodius, and that this happened before the
martyrdom of St. Peter, who appointed St. Ignatius his successor.
See Cotelier, not. p. 299. Tillem. not. t. 2. p. 619. The Greek
Menæa mentions Evodius on the 7th of September.
3. Hom. in St. Ignat. t. 2, p. 592. See also Theodoret. Dial. 1, p. 33.
4. 2 Cor. v. 16.
5. In his letter to the Magnesians, after saluting them, he says, he
rejoices exceedingly in their charity and faith, and adds: "Having
the honor to bear a name of divine dignity, on account to the chains
which I carry, I sing the glow of the churches, and wish them the
union of the flesh and spirit of Jesus Christ our perpetual life, of
faith, and of charity, than which nothing is more excellent; and
what is chiefest, of Jesus and the Father, in whom, bearing with
patience the whole power of the prince of this world, and escaping
him, we shall possess God." The saint much commends their bishop
Damas, and exhorts them to yield him perfect obedience,
notwithstanding his youth. Setting death before their eyes as near
at hand to every one, he puts them in mind that we must bear the
mark of Jesus Christ, (which is charity,) not that of the world. "If
we are not ready to die, in imitation of his sufferings, his life is
not in us," says he. "I recommend to you that you do all things in
the concord of God, the bishop presiding for God, the priests in the
place of the college of the apostles, and my dearest deacons, to
whom is the ministry of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father before
all ages, and has appeared in the end. Therefore, following all the
same conduct, respect one another, and let no one consider his
neighbor according to the flesh, but ever love each other in Jesus
Christ. As the Lord did nothing without the Father, so neither do
you say thing without the priests. Meeting together, have one
prayer, one mind, one hope in charity, in holy joy. All of you meet
as in one church of God, as to one altar, as to one Jesus Christ,
who proceeds from one Father, exists in one, and returns to him in
Unity." He cautions them against admitting the Jewish ceremonies,
and against the errors of the Docetes. Then adds: "I shall enjoy you
in all things if I am worthy. For though I am in chains, I am not to
be compared to any one of you who enjoy your liberty. I know there
is in you no pride; for you have Jesus Christ within you. And when I
commend you, I know that you are more confounded, as it is written:
The just man is his own accuser." Prov. xviii. 18. He again
tenderly exhorts them to concord, and to obedience to their bishop,
and commends himself, that he may attain to God and his church, of
which he is not worthy to be called one, to their prayers, adding:
"I stand much in need of your united prayer and charity in God, that
the church in Syria may deserve to be watered by your church."
The epistle to the Trallians he begins thus: "I know that your
sentiments are pure, your hearts inseperable in patience and
meekness, which is not passing, but as it were natural; as I learn
from your bishop Polybius who congratulated with me in my chains in
Christ Jesus, in such manner that in him I beheld your whole
multitude. Receiving through him your good-will in God, I gloried,
finding you to be, as I knew, imitators of God. As you are subject
to the bishop as to Christ, you seem not to live according to men,
but according to Jesus Christ." He bids them respect the deacons
(whom be calls the ministers of the mysteries of Jesus Christ) as
the precept of Christ; the priests as the senate of God, and the
bishop as representing God. "Without these the very name of a church
is not given," says he—"I know many things in God, but I measure
myself, lest by glorying I perish. Now I have reason more to fear:
nor must I listen to those who speak kindly to me; for they who
speak to commend me, scourge me. I desire indeed to suffer: but I
know not whether I am worthy. Though I am in chains, and understand
heavenly things, the ranks of angels and principalities, things
visible and invisible; am I on this account a disciple? for many
things are wanting to us that we be not separated from God. I
conjure you, not I, but the charity of Jesus Christ, to use
Christian food, and to refrain from foreign weed, which is heresy.
Heretics join Jesus Christ with what is defiled, giving a deadly
poison in a mixture of wine and honey which they who take, drink
with pleasure their own death without knowing it. Refrain from such,
which you will do if you remain united to God, Jesus Christ, and the
bishop, and the precepts of the apostles. He who is within the altar
is clean, but he who is without it, that is, without the bishop,
priests, and deacons, is not clean." He adds his usual exhortations
to union, and begs their prayers for himself and his church, of
which he is not worthy to be called one, being the last of them, and
yet fighting is danger. "May my spirit sanctify you, not only now,
but also when I shall enjoy God."
6. 1 Cor. iv. 4.
7. Not that he would really incite the beasts to dispatch him, without
a special inspiration, because that would have been self-murder; but
this expresses the courage and desire of his soul.
8. [Greek: Ho hemos erôs estanrôtai.]
9. See an account of these two last in the life of St. Polycarp. Orsi
draws a proof in favor of the supremacy of the see of Rome, from the
title which St. Ignatius gives it at the head of his epistle. In
directing his other letters, and saluting other churches, he only
writes: "To the blessed church which is at Ephesus:" [Greek: Tê esê
en Ephesô] "at Magnesia near the Mæander: at Tralles: at
Philadelphia: at Smyrna:" but in that to the Romans he changes his
style, and addresses his letter: "To the beloved church which is
enlightened, (by the will of Him who ordaineth all things which are
according to the charity of Jesus Christ our God,) which presides in
the country of the Romans, [Greek: êtis prokathêtai en topô chores
Rômaiôn], worthy of God, most adorned, justly happy, most commended,
fitly regulated and governed, most chaste, and presiding in charity,
&c."
10. According to the common opinion, St. Ignatius was crowned with
martyrdom in the year 107. The Greek copies of a homily of the sixth
age, On the False Prophets, among the works of St. Chrysostom, say
on the 20th; but Bede, in his Martyrology, on the 17th of December.
Antoni Pagi, convinced by the letter of Dr. Loyde, bishop of St.
Asaph's, places his martyrdom about the end of the year 116: for
John Malalas of Antioch tells us the great earthquake, in which Dion
Cassias mentions that Trajan narrowly escaped at Antioch, happened
in that journey of Trajan in which he condemned St. Ignatius. Now
Trajan marching to the Parthian war, arrived at Antioch on the 8th
of January, in 113, the sixteenth year of his reign: and in his
return from the East, above two years later, passed again through
Antioch in 116, when this earthquake happened. St. Ignatius suffered
at Rome towards the end of that year. Le Quien prefers this date,
because it best agrees with the chronology of his successors to
Theophilus. Orien. Christ. t. 2, p. 700.
11. Evagr. Hist. Eccl. l. 1, c. 16, Ed. Vales.
12. Or. in S. Ignat. t. 2, p. 600. Ed. Nov.
13. See Baron. Annal. ad an. 637, and Not. ad Martyr. Rom. ad 17 Dec.
14. See Henschenius, Feb. t. 1, p. 35.
ST. PIONIUS, M.
HE was priest of Smyrna, a true heir of the spirit of St. Polycarp, an apostolic man, who converted multitudes to the faith. He excelled in eloquence, and in the science of our holy religion. The paleness of his countenance bespoke the austerity of his life. In the persecution of Decius, in 250, on the 23d of February, he was apprehended with Sabina and Asclepiades, while they were celebrating the anniversary festival of St. Polycarp's martyrdom. Pionius, after having fasted the eve with his companions, was forewarned thereof by a vision. On the morning after their solemn prayer, taking the holy bread (probably the eucharist) and water, they were surprised and seized by Polemon, the chief priest, and the guardian of the temple. In prolix interrogatories before him, they resisted all solicitations to sacrifice; professed they were ready to suffer the worst of torments and deaths rather than consent to his impious proposals, and declaring that they worshipped one only God, and that they were of the Catholic church. Asclepiades being asked what God he adored, made answer: "Jesus Christ." At which Polemon said: "Is that another God?" Asclepiades replied: "No; he is the same they have just now confessed." A clear confession of the consubstantiality of God the Son, before the council of Nice. Being all threatened to be burnt alive, Sabina smiled. The pagans said: "Dost thou laugh? thou shalt then be led to the public stews." She answered: "God will be my protector on that occasion." They were cast into prison, and preferred a lower dungeon, that they might be more at liberty to pray when alone. They were carried by force into the temple, and all manner of violence was used to compel them to sacrifice. Pionius tore the impious garlands which were put upon his head, and they resisted with all their might. Their constancy repaired the scandal given by Eudæmon, the bishop of Smyrna, there present, who had impiously apostatized and offered sacrifice. In the answers of St. Pionius to the judges, and in all the circumstances of his martyrdom, we admire the ardent piety and courage of one who had entirely devoted himself to God, and employed his whole life in his service. When Quintilian the proconsul arrived at Smyrna, he caused Pionius to be hung on the rack, and his body to be torn with iron hooks, and afterwards condemned him to be burned alive; he was accordingly nailed to a trunk or post, and a pile heaped round him and set on fire. Metrodorus, a Marcionite priest, underwent the same punishment with him. His acts were written by eye-witnesses, quoted by Eusebius, l. 4, c. 15, and are extant genuine in Ruinart, p. 12. See Tillemont t. 3, p. 397; Bollandus, Feb. t. 1, p. 37.
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