Born in the mid-1st century, he was a disciple of the Apostle John, and would likely have heard Jesus speak. He was the first Bishop of Smyrna, leading the new faith community for more than half a century. 

Working with Pope Anacletus, Polycarp had a fundamental role in establishing when Easter would be celebrated. 

He wrote many letters to encourage the faithful, a number of which survive to this day. 

At a time when being a Christian was often a virtual death sentence, he sent these words to encourage the faithful by invoking the memory of recent martyrs: “I exhort you all to yield obedience to righteousness and the exercise of all patience such as you have seen set before your eyes in the case of The Blessed Ignatius and Zozumus and Rufus. They are in their place in the presence of The Lord with whom they suffered, for they loved, not this present world, but Him who died for us and, for our sakes, was raised again from the dead.” 

Polycarp himself would suffer martyrdom. At the age of 86 he was arrested and led into a packed stadium at Smyrna, where the Romans attempted to burn him alive. When the flames did not harm him, he was stabbed to death. 

St. Polycarp, please pray for us.