Polycarp, disciple of St John and bishop of Smyrna, found there was only one answer to the heresies and persecution which were springing up in the Church – to be true to the life of Jesus and imitate that life.
When faced with heresy, he showed the ‘candid face’ that imitated Jesus’ response to the Pharisees. On the other hand, when faced with Christian disagreements he was all forgiveness and respect.
Polycarp faced persecution the way Christ did. His own church admired him for following the ‘gospel model’ – not chasing after martyrdom as some did, but avoiding it until it was God’s will. One day, when Christians were being attacked by wild animals in the arena, the crowd demanded Polycarp’s blood. Polycarp was calm but others persuaded him to leave the city and hide at a nearby farm. He spent his time in prayer for people he knew and for the Church. When eventually he was captured, all he asked of them was that they give him an hour to pray. Many of his captors started to wonder why they were arresting this holy, eighty-six-year-old bishop.
Taken to the arena, Polycarp was asked by the proconsul to swear by Caesar to save himself. He answered, “If you imagine that I will swear by Caesar, you do not know who I am. Let me tell you plainly, I am a Christian.” The proconsul ordered him to be burned to death. Saint Polycarp, keep us true to the teachings of the apostles.
