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Polycarp

Bishop of Smyrna, martyrdied c. AD 155Also: Polycarp of Smyrna

Bishop of Smyrna and a link between the apostles’ generation and the late second century. He received Ignatius, wrote to the Philippians, taught the young Irenaeus, and was burned at Smyrna in old age.

Ignatius, on his way to Rome, addressed a letter to “Polycarp, Bishop of the Church of the Smyrnaeans” (Ignatius, To Polycarp, greeting), and Polycarp afterwards sent copies of Ignatius’s letters to Philippi with a letter of his own (Polycarp, To the Philippians 13). Irenaeus, who grew up in Asia, remembered him sitting and teaching and telling of his dealings “with John and with the others who had seen the Lord” (Eusebius, Church History 5.20.5–7), and says that apostles had appointed him bishop of Smyrna (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.3.4).

He travelled to Rome in the time of bishop Anicetus and discussed the keeping of Easter with him. Neither persuaded the other, and they shared the Eucharist and parted in peace (Eusebius, Church History 5.24.16–17). Irenaeus adds that in Rome he won back followers of Valentinus and Marcion (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.3.4). At his trial he said that he had served Christ for eighty-six years (Martyrdom of Polycarp 9), which, if he died in 155, puts his birth or his baptism about AD 70. See the Martyrdom of Polycarp.

In the timeline

  1. about AD 110, traditional date
    Ignatius of Antioch Writes on the Road to Martyrdom

    Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, is taken under guard to Rome to be thrown to wild beasts. On the way he writes seven letters that urge unity around the bishop, insist that Christ truly suffered, and ask the Roman Christians not to save him.

  2. c. AD 155–156, estimated date
    The Martyrdom of Polycarp

    Polycarp, the aged bishop of Smyrna, is arrested, refuses before the proconsul to curse Christ, and is burned in the stadium. His church describes his death in a letter and keeps his bones and the anniversary of his death.

Primary sources

The Letters of Ignatius of Antioch

Ignatius of Antioch · c. AD 110 · Greek

Letter to the Philippians

Polycarp of Smyrna · c. AD 110–140 · Greek; the closing chapters survive only in an early Latin version

Church History

Eusebius of Caesarea · c. AD 311–325, in successive editions · Greek

Against Heresies

Irenaeus of Lyons · c. AD 180 · Greek, preserved complete only in an early Latin translation

The Martyrdom of Polycarp

The church of Smyrna · c. AD 155–170 · Greek

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