Ignatius of Antioch

Ignatius of Antioch was the third bishop of Antioch after the Apostles Peter and John. Ignatius was most likely a disciple of both Peter and John. Several of his letters have survived to this day; he is generally considered to be one of early Church Fathers, and a saint by both the Catholic and Orthodox churches.

• Born: (unknown)
• Died: 107 A.D.
• Feast day: October 17 (Eastern Orthodoxy)

He was arrested by the Roman authorities and transported to Rome to die in the arena. They hoped to make an example of him and thus discourage Christianity from spreading. Instead, he met with and encouraged Christians all along his route, and wrote letters to the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Philadelphians, Smyrneans, and Romans, as well as a letter to Polycarp, who according to Christisn tradition was Bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of John the Evangelist. These writings proved to be formational in the development of Christian theology.