Born in first-century Syria, Ignatius converted to Christianity at a young age. 

In time, he became the Bishop of Antioch but, during the brutal reign of Roman Emperor Trajan, he was arrested and sent to Rome to be condemned. 

This journey was a long and difficult one. In his own writing, he says; “From Syria, even to Rome, I fight with wild beasts, by land and sea, by night and day, being bound amidst ten leopards, even accompanied by soldiers who only grow worse when they are treated kindly.” 

In fact, Ignatius wrote quite a bit on this long journey, sending seven letters. Five were to Churches in Asia Minor, reminding them to stay faithful and warning against rapidly spreading heresies. The sixth was to St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna who was later martyred himself and the final letter went to the Christians in Rome asking them not to try and stop this murder. “The only thing I ask of you is to allow me to offer the libation of my blood to God. I am the wheat of The Lord. May I be ground by the teeth of the beasts to become the immaculate bread of Christ.” 

Ignatius was killed by lions in the Circus Maximus at the age of seventy-three on July 6, 108 AD. 

St. Ignatius of Antioch, please pray for us.