Papias of Hierapolis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintPapias of Hierapolis |
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Papias of Hierapolis from the Nuremberg Chronicle
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| Bishop of Hierapolis, Apostolic Father | |
| Died | after c. 100 |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Eastern Catholicism Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodoxy |
| Feast | February 22 |
Papias (Greek: Παπίας) was an early Christian leader and writer. He lived a long time ago, from about 60 AD to 130 AD. He was a Bishop of Hierapolis, a city in what is now Pamukkale, Turkey. Papias is known as an Apostolic Father. This means he was a Christian leader who lived soon after the first apostles. He wrote an important book called Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord.
Who Was Papias?
Papias was a Greek man. He served as the bishop of Hierapolis. This city was in what is now Turkey. He lived during a very early time for Christianity. He was part of the generation after the apostles. This makes his writings very valuable.
His Important Work
Papias wrote a book in five parts. It was called Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord (Greek: Λογίων Κυριακῶν Ἐξήγησις). Sadly, most of this book is now lost. We only know about it from small pieces quoted by other early writers. These writers include Irenaeus of Lyons (around 180 AD) and Eusebius of Caesarea (around 320 AD).
Why His Work Matters
Even though Papias's book is mostly lost, it is still very important. It gives us clues about early Christian oral traditions. It also helps us understand how the canonical Gospels were first written. These are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Papias's writings are one of the earliest sources we have about these important texts.
Images for kids
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Pasqualotto, St. Mark writes his Gospel at the dictation of St. Peter, 17th century.
See also
In Spanish: Papías de Hierápolis para niños
