“In order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church, the apostles left bishops as their successors” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #77). St. Polycarp is one of the earliest of those successors, ordained bishop of Smyrna by the Apostle John, who was his teacher. He, along with St. Clement of Rome and St. Ignatius of Antioch, are called Apostolic Fathers. He was born in AD 69 and was martyred in AD 155. He was known for his leadership when he was chosen to discuss the date of the Easter celebration with the pope. There was a major controversy as to whether it would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring equinox or whether it should be celebrated on the date that Easter originally occurred, the date of the Jewish Passover. Both agreed that both customs were acceptable.
The account of his martyrdom is the earliest of the stories about martyrs. He was arrested and burned at the stake, but then stabbed to death when the fire failed to kill him. According to the Martyrdom, St. Polycarp said: “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”
St. Polycarp provides us plenty to reflect upon. He was a martyr who died for Christ. He was a bishop who maintained orthodoxy against heretics. He was a leader in the Church who promoted peace within the Church. He was recognized by other saints as a holy man. We can look to St. Polycarp as a man of “much fruit”, which is what his name means. We must look at the fruits we bear and share them with others in bringing others to Christ as St. Polycarp did.
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