Saint Polycarp (Whose Name Means “Much Fruit”). Bishop. Feast Day 26 January. Red Vestments.

Saint Polycarp.

Date: 19 December 2006 (original upload date).

(Original Text : Circa. en:1685).

Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia

(Original: Life of Saint Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna).

Author: en:Michael Burghers

Original uploader was Alekjds at en.wikipedia

(Wikimedia Commons)

Text from “The Liturgical Year”.
By: Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.
Volume 3.
Christmas.
Book II.

Amidst the sweetness he is enjoying from the contemplation of “ . . . The Word Made Flesh . . .” John, the Beloved Disciple, beholds, coming towards him, his dear Polycarp, “the Angel of The Church of Smyrna”, all resplendent with the glory of Martyrdom.

This Venerable Saint has, in his Soul, the fervent love that made him say in the amphitheatre, when asked by the Proconsul to curse his Divine Master: “Six-and-eighty years have I served Him, and He has never done me any wrong; nay, He has laden me with kindness. How could I blaspheme my King, Who has served me ?”

After having suffered fire and the sword, he was admitted into the presence of this King his Saviour, in reward for the eighty-six years of his faithful service, for the labours he had gone through in order to maintain Faith and Charity among his flock, and for the cruel death he endured.

Saint Polycarp of Smyrna.

The Complete Story Documentary.

Church Fathers.

Available on YouTube

HERE

He was a disciple of Saint John the Evangelist, whom he imitated by zealously opposing the heretics, who were then striving to corrupt the Faith.

In obedience to the command of his Holy Master, he refused to hold intercourse with Marcion, the heresiarch, whom he called “the first-born of Satan”.

This energetic adversary of the proud sect that denied the Mystery of The Incarnation , wrote an admirable Epistle to the Philippians, in which we find these words: “Whosoever confesses not that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, is an Anti-Christ”.

Polycarp, then, had a right to the honour of standing near the Crib, in which The Son of God shows Himself to us in all His loveliness, and clothed in flesh like unto our own.

Let us honour this disciple of Saint John the Evangelist, this friend of Saint Ignatius, this Bishop of the Apostolic Age, whose praise was pronounced by Jesus Christ, Himself, in the Revelations of Patmos. Our Saviour said to him by the mouth of Saint John: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the Crown of Life”.

The East Window of Saint James’s Church, New Brighton, England, depicting “The Agony In The Garden” and Jesus Christ bearing The Cross. Across the bottom are depicted: Saint Boniface; Saint Basil; Saint Polycarp; Saint Ignatius.

Photo: 17 September 2019.

Source: Own work.

Author: Rodhullandemu

(Wikimedia Commons)

Polycarp was faithful even unto death, and has received his Crown; and, whilst we are celebrating the coming of his King among us, he is one of the Saints who assist us to profit by the Holy Season.

The Church gives us a passage from Saint Jerome’s book, “On Ecclesiastical Writers”, in which there is contained the following short notice of our Holy Martyr:

“Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, who Ordained him Bishop of Smyrna, was looked up to by all the Churches of Asia, inasmuch as he had not only known some of the Apostles, and those who had seen Our Lord, but had been trained by them”.

The Greek Church also sings the praises of Saint Polycarp in her “Menæa” on 23 February [Editor: The “Menæa” is a Greek monthly catalogue of Saints. It is used to identify the names of Saints and the dates of their deaths.]