Changes

[[Image:Polycarp.jpg|right|frame|St. Polycarp]]The holy, glorious and right-victorious Hieromartyr '''Polycarp of Smyrna''' was a [[bishop]] and [[martyr]] of the early Church and the writer and subject<ref>''Encyclopaedia Britannica'', 1958 edition, respectivelyvol. 18, pp 178-180</ref> and is regarded as one of two of the works in the collection called the three chief ''[[Apostolic Fathers]]''. <ref>Polycarp, with [[Clement of Rome]] and [[Ignatius of Antioch]] are considered the three chief [[Apostolic Fathers]]</ref> The year of his birth is reported as anywhere from A.D. 69 to 81, and his martyrdom is recorded as being from A.D. 155 to 167. According to tradition[[w:The Martyrdom of Polycarp|The Martyrdom of Polycarp]], he was died, bound and burned at the stake then stabbed when the fire failed to touch him, in Smyrna (the seat of his episcopacy and modern day Izmir in Turkey), and he was also reported to be a disciple of the [[Apostle John]]. His [[feast day]] in the Church is [[February 23]].

His St. [[Irenaeus of Lyons]], a disciple of Polycarp, relates how and when he became a Christian and in his letter to Florinus stated that he saw and heard him personally in lower Asia; in particular he heard the account of Polycarp's intercourse with [[Apostle John|John the Evangelist]] and with others who had seen [[Jesus Christ]]. Irenaeus also reports that Polycarp was [[conversion|converted]] to Christianity by [[apostles]], was consecrated a [[bishop]], and communicated with many who had seen Jesus. He repeatedly emphasizes the very old age of Polycarp. The ''Martyrdom'' has Polycarp himself give his age on the day of his death as 86 years. St. Boukolos (or Bucolus, [[February 6]]), the first bishop of Smyrna, chose Polycarp as his successor before reposing in peace. ===Date of martyrdom===The date of Polycarp's death is disputed.  [[Eusebius of Caesarea]] dates it to the reign of [[w:Marcus Aurelius|Marcus Aurelius]], ''circa'' 166-167.  In ''The Martyrdom of Polycarp'' Polycarp is recorded as saying on the day of his death, "Eighty and six years I have served him." which indicates that he could possibly have been eighty-six years old or that he had lived eighty-six years since his conversion to Christianity. A post-Eusebian addition to the treatise dates his death to Saturday, [[February 23]] in the proconsulship of Statius Quadratus&mdash;which works out to be 155 or 156.<ref>"It was the second day of the first fortnight of Xanthicus, seven days before the kalends of March, when our blessed Polycarp died his martyr's death two hours after midday on the Greater Sabbath."</ref> ==Surviving writings==The sole surviving work, attributed to Polycarp is his letter [[w:Polycarp's letter to the Philippians|''Letter to To the Philippians'', ]] and an account of [[w:Martyrdom of Polycarp|''The Martyrdom of Polycarp'' ]]; both of these works form part of the writings usually collected under the title ''The [[Apostolic Fathers]]''. The latter is considered the earliest genuine post-biblical account of a Christian martyrdom, and one of the very few genuine such writings from the actual age of the persecutions. It also is one of the earliest accounts of the veneration of [[relics]], as the ''Martyrdom'' records that after Polycarp's immolation, the faithful piously gathered up his bones as precious treasures.

==Relics==The right arm of St. [[Irenaeus Polycarp had been kept at the Holy Monastery of Lyons]] relates how and when he became a Christian and in his letter Panagia Ambelakiotissa - Saint Polycarp, outside Nafpaktos, Greece, from 1475 until it was stolen on March 14, 2013. Although the three thieves were apprehended, the relic has not been returned to Florinus stated that he saw and heard him personally in lower Asia; in particular he heard the account of Polycarp's intercourse with monastery.<ref>[[Apostle John|John http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2013/03/the Evangelist]] and with others who had seen [[Jesus Christ]]-relic-of-arm-of-st-polycarp-is.html The Relic Arm of St. Irenaeus also reports that Polycarp was converted to Christianity by [[apostles]is Stolen](2013), was consecrated a [[bishop]], and communicated with many who had seen Jesushttp://www.johnsanidopoulos. He repeatedly emphasizes com/2013/11/the very old age -man-who-stole-right-arm-of Polycarp-saint. html The ''Martyrdom'' has Polycarp himself give his age on Man Who Stole the day Right Arm of his death as 86 yearsSaint Polycarp Identified] (2013), and [http://www.espressonews.gr/%CF%80%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B5%CF%87%CF%8C%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%BD%CE%BF/%CE%AC%CF%81%CE%B8%CF%81%CE%BF/%CF%81%CE%B5%CF%80%CE%BF%CF%81%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%B6/136967/%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%BD%CE%BF%CE%B5%CE%AF%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%B9-%CE%B1%CE%BA%CF%8C%CE%BC%CE%B1-%CE%B7-%CF%87%CE%B5%CE%AF%CF%81%CE%B1-%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%85-%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%AF%CE%BF%CF%85-%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BB%CF%85%CE%BA%CE%AC%CF%81%CF%80%CE%BF%CF%85 Αγνοείται ακόμα η χείρα του Αγίου Πολυκάρπου!] (Greek, 2015) </ref>

The date of Polycarp's death is disputed. ==Hymns==[[Eusebius of CaesareaTroparion]] dates it (Tone 4):By sharing in the ways of the Apostles,:you became a successor to their throne.:Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, :O inspired one of God;:by teaching the reign word of Marcus Aureliustruth without error, ''circa'' 166-167. However:you defended the Faith, a post-Eusebian addition even to the treatise ''The Martyrdom shedding of your blood.:Hieromartyr Polycarp'' dates his death , entreat Christ God to Saturday, save our souls. [[February 23Kontakion]] (Tone 1):Through virtues, you offered spiritual fruit to the Lord,:therefore, you were glorified as a worthy hierarch, wise Polycarp.:Today, we who have been enlightened by your words:extol in the proconsulship of Statius Quadratus&mdash;which works out song your praise-worthy memory,:there-by giving glory to be 155 or 156. These earlier dates better fit the tradition of his association with Ignatius and John the EvangelistLord.

*[http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-01/anf01-11.htm ''Letter to the PhillipiansPhilippians'' and ''The Martyrdom of Polycarp'', as well as St. Irenaeus' ''Against Heresies'' from the Ante-Nicene Fathers]*[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.ix.xiv.html Eusebius' ''Ecclesiastical History'', Book IV, chapters 13 and 14, from the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers]*[http://98.131.104.126/prolog/February23.htm The Holy Priestly-Martyr Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna] (''[[Prologue of Ohrid]]'')*[http://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=439 Polycarp the Holy Martyr & Bishop of Smyrna] ([[GOARCH]])*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100589 Hieromartyr Polycarp the Bishop of Smyrna] ([[OCA]])*[http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/02/saint-boukolos-first-bishop-of-smyrna.html Saint Boukolos, First Bishop of Smyrna]