Ignatius of Antioch facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Saint Ignatius of Antioch
Fresco of St. Ignatius from Hosios Loukas Monastery, Boeotia, Greece
Bishop, Martyr, Apostolic Father
Born	Province of Syria, Roman Empire
Died	Eusebius: c. AD 108 Pervo: AD 135–140 Barnes: 140s AD Rome, Roman Empire
Venerated in	Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodoxy Church of the East Anglican Communion Lutheranism
Canonized	Pre-congregation by John the Apostle (said in later writings)
Major shrine	Basilica of San Clemente, Rome, Italy
Feast	20 December (Eastern Orthodox Church) 24 Koiak (martyrdom – Coptic Christianity) 7 Epip (commemoration - Coptic Christianity) 17 October (Catholic Church, Church of England and Syriac Christianity) 1 February (General Roman Calendar, 12th century–1969) Monday after 4th Sunday of Advent (Armenian Apostolic Church)
Attributes	a bishop surrounded by lions or in chains
Patronage	Church in eastern Mediterranean; Church in North Africa

Ignatius of Antioch (died around 108 AD or later) was an important early Christian writer and a leader of the church in Antioch. He is also known as Ignatius Theophorus, which means "God-bearing."

While being taken to Rome to face his death, Ignatius wrote several letters. These letters are a key part of a collection of writings by early Christian leaders called the Apostolic Fathers. Ignatius is seen as one of the three most important of these writers, along with Clement of Rome and Polycarp. His letters teach us a lot about early Christian theology, including ideas about the church, sacraments, and the role of bishops.

Life of Ignatius
Honoring Ignatius
Ignatius's Martyrdom
Ignatius's Letters
Ignatius's Beliefs
- About Jesus and Salvation
- About the Church
Pseudo-Ignatius
See also

Life of Ignatius

We don't know much about Ignatius's early life, except what we can guess from his letters and later stories. It is said that he became a Christian when he was young. Some traditions say that Ignatius and his friend Polycarp were students of John the Apostle.

Later in his life, Ignatius became the Bishop of Antioch. The church historian Eusebius wrote that Ignatius took over from another bishop named Evodius. Ignatius called himself Theophorus, meaning "God Bearer." There's a tradition that he was one of the children Jesus held and blessed.

Honoring Ignatius

Ignatius's special day, or feast day, was celebrated in Antioch on October 17. This is still the day he is honored in the Catholic Church and in many Western Christian churches.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, his feast day is on December 20. The Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates him on the 24th of the Coptic month of Koiak, which usually falls on December 20 in the Julian calendar. This day is currently January 2 in the Gregorian calendar.

Ignatius is also honored in the Church of England and the Episcopal Church on October 17.

Ignatius's Martyrdom

Why Ignatius was Sent to Rome

Scholars find it unusual that Ignatius was sent all the way to Rome for punishment. Usually, Christians who were persecuted were punished in their local area. Some experts believe Ignatius was sent to Rome to be part of public shows in the Colosseum.

However, others disagree. They point out that a single prisoner would be a small gift for such games. Another idea is that a local Roman official might have sent Ignatius to Rome for trial and execution because only the governor or emperor could order the death penalty. This might have been done to stop problems among Christians in Antioch.

No one knows for sure why Ignatius was sent to Rome. Many scholars agree that he was a condemned man, but the exact reason for his long journey remains a mystery.

His Journey to Rome

During his trip to Rome, Ignatius and the soldiers guarding him made many stops in Asia Minor, even though it wasn't the most direct way. Here's a likely path he took:

He traveled from Antioch in Roman Syria to Asia Minor. We don't know if he went by sea or land.
Next, he was taken to Smyrna, passing through cities like Philadelphia.
Then, Ignatius went to Alexandria Troas, where he got on a ship to Neapolis in Macedonia.
He passed through the city of Philippi.
Finally, he took another land or sea route to Rome.

During this journey, the soldiers allowed Ignatius to meet with groups of Christians, even while he was in chains. Many Christian visitors and messengers were also allowed to meet him one-on-one. These messengers helped Ignatius send six letters to nearby churches and one to Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna.

These parts of Ignatius's journey are also seen as unusual. Prisoners were usually taken on the quickest and cheapest route. Since sea travel was much cheaper than land travel, and Antioch was a major port, the most efficient way would have been entirely by sea. Some scholars think that Ignatius was not the main reason for the soldiers' trip, and their stops in Asia Minor were for other government business. This would explain why Ignatius had so much freedom to meet with other Christians.

When Ignatius Died

The exact date of Ignatius's death is not certain because there are not many records from that time. Tradition says he died during the rule of Emperor Trajan (98-117 AD). This idea comes from the 4th-century church historian Eusebius.

However, some scholars think he died later. For example, some suggest his death was between 135 and 140 AD, or even in the 140s AD. One theory suggests he died in July 116 AD during a festival, after an earthquake hit Antioch.

His Death and What Happened Next

Ignatius himself wrote that he expected to be thrown to wild animals. In the 4th century, Eusebius reported that this happened, and later, Jerome specifically mentioned "lions." John Chrysostom was the first to suggest the Colosseum as the place where Ignatius died. Today, scholars are not sure if these writers had other sources besides Ignatius's own letters.

A medieval Christian text called Martyrium Ignatii says that Ignatius's friends took his remains back to Antioch after he died. In the 6th century, the writer Evagrius Scholasticus said that Emperor Theodosius II moved Ignatius's remains to a church in Antioch. In 637, when Antioch was captured, his relics were moved to the Basilica di San Clemente in Rome.

The Martyrium Ignatii

There is a story that claims to be an eyewitness account of Ignatius's death, called the Martyrium Ignatii. It says it was written by Ignatius's companions, Philo of Cilicia and Rheus Agathopus, for the church in Antioch.

This story describes Ignatius's meeting with Emperor Trajan in Antioch and many details of his long journey to Rome. The Coptic Orthodox Church's records say he was thrown to wild beasts that ate him and tore him into pieces.

Ignatius's Letters

The following seven letters, known as epistles, are believed to have been truly written by Ignatius. They were mentioned by the historian Eusebius in the early 4th century.

Seven original letters:

The Letter to the Ephesians
The Letter to the Magnesians
The Letter to the Trallians
The Letter to the Romans
The Letter to the Philadelphians
The Letter to the Smyrnaeans
The Letter to Polycarp, a bishop of Smyrna.

Different Versions of the Letters

These letters exist in three main versions, or "recensions":

The Short Recension (found in a Syriac manuscript)
The Middle Recension (found only in Greek manuscripts)
The Long Recension (found in Greek and Latin manuscripts)

For a long time, people thought the Long Recension was the only one. But then, in the 1600s, a Latin translation of the Middle Recension was found. After much debate, scholars now agree that the Middle Recension is the original and most accurate version of Ignatius's letters. The Long Recension was changed later by someone who added new ideas.

The Short Recension was found in the mid-1800s. For a short time, there was a debate about whether it was older than the Middle Recension. But by the end of the 19th century, scholars agreed that the Short Recension is just a shorter summary of the Middle Recension.

Are the Letters Real?

Since the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s, people have closely examined whether all the letters said to be from Ignatius are real. Some Protestants doubted them because the letters seemed to show that a single bishop led each church very early on. The Catholic Church has always believed the letters are real.

Today, most experts who study early Christian writings agree that the seven original letters are authentic.

How the Letters are Written

Ignatius's letters seem to have been written very quickly and without a clear plan. They sometimes have long sentences and ideas that jump around.

Ignatius's Beliefs

About Jesus and Salvation

Ignatius believed the Eucharist (a Christian ceremony) was very important. He called it a "medicine of immortality." He also strongly wanted to die as a martyr in the arena. This might seem strange today. But his beliefs about soteriology (how people are saved) show that he thought salvation meant being free from the fear of death, which allowed him to bravely face martyrdom.

About the Church

Ignatius is the first Christian writer we know of who stressed the importance of being loyal to a single bishop in each city. This bishop would be helped by presbyters (priests) and deacons. Earlier writings only mentioned either bishops or presbyters, not both working together under one main bishop.

Ignatius is also given credit for using the word "Christianity" (Christianismos) around 100 AD. The word "catholic" (katholou) simply means "universal." It was used by writers before and after Ignatius, even centuries before Christianity.

Pseudo-Ignatius

Some letters are said to be from Saint Ignatius but were actually written by someone else later. The author of these fake letters is often called Pseudo-Ignatius. These include:

Letter to the Tarsians
Letter to the Antiochians
Letter to Hero, a Deacon of Antioch
Letter to the Philippians
The Letter of Maria the Proselyte to Ignatius
Letter to Mary at Neapolis, Zarbus
First Letter to St. John
Second Letter to St. John
The Letter of Ignatius to the Virgin Mary