Category:Ignatius of Antioch (subject)

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Ignatius of Antioch was a second-century Christian leader and author of a series of Letters.

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Overview

Nothing is known of Ignatius' life apart from what may be inferred internally from his letters, except from later (sometimes spurious) traditions. It is said Ignatius converted to Christianity at a young age. Tradition identifies Ignatius, along with his friend Polycarp of Smyrna, as disciples of John the Apostle. Ignatius served as Bishop of Antioch; the fourth-century Church historian Eusebius writes that Ignatius succeeded Evodius. Theodoret of Cyrrhus claimed that St. Peter himself left directions that Ignatius be appointed to the episcopal see of Antioch.

Although these narratives are late, they attest how the traditions of Paul, John and Peter came together in the early second century to form "Orthodox": Christianity. Ignatius was from Antioch (the city where Paul had started his ministry), wrote in the style of Paul to the church most closely connect to John, and died a martyr in Rome (the city of Peter).