St Polycarp Research Paper
| St. Polycarp | Bishop and Martyr | | |
St. Polycarp (c. 69 – c.155) was possibly one of the last living links to the Apostles. Polycarp was according to Irenaeus, who heard him speak in his youth, and by Tertullian, that he had been a disciple of John the Apostle. His contemporaries at the time were Clement of Rome and Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp is regarded as one of three chief Apostolic Fathers. A companion of Polycarp was Pappias of Hierapolis. Tradition believes that not only was Papias considered a “hearer of John”, but that he may have shared in Polycarp’s martyrdom. Being a “hearer of John”, it is possible that he may have read some of Paul’s writings, As Paul is mentioned in Polycarp’s only surviving writing, his …show more content…
Very early in the life of the Church, disputes arose as to which date Pasch or Easter (called "Pascha" in Greek and Latin) should be celebrated. Disputes of this kind came to be known as Paschal/Easter controversies. The first recorded such controversy came to be known as the Quartodeciman controversy. Polycarp was again summoned to Rome to debate this matter. He met with Anicetus and at the end of their meeting, Neither Polycarp nor Anicetus was able to persuade the other to his position, but neither did they consider the matter of sufficient importance to justify a schism. Indeed, Irenaeus also noted that "Anicetus conceded to Polycarp in the Church the celebration of the Eucharist, by way of showing him respect"; Anicetus and Polycarp parted in peace leaving the question unsettled.
. Outside of the account of St. Stephen’s Martyrdom as recorded in Acts chapter 7, the letter entitled “The Martyrdom of Polycarp” is considered one of the earliest, genuine accounts of Christian martyrdom, and is one of the very few genuine accounts from the actual age of the persecutions. In reading the account of his Martyrdom, I noticed some similarities between Polycarp’s execution and the events that led up to it and that of Jesus’s own
St. Polycarp (c. 69 – c.155) was possibly one of the last living links to the Apostles. Polycarp was according to Irenaeus, who heard him speak in his youth, and by Tertullian, that he had been a disciple of John the Apostle. His contemporaries at the time were Clement of Rome and Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp is regarded as one of three chief Apostolic Fathers. A companion of Polycarp was Pappias of Hierapolis. Tradition believes that not only was Papias considered a “hearer of John”, but that he may have shared in Polycarp’s martyrdom. Being a “hearer of John”, it is possible that he may have read some of Paul’s writings, As Paul is mentioned in Polycarp’s only surviving writing, his …show more content…
Very early in the life of the Church, disputes arose as to which date Pasch or Easter (called "Pascha" in Greek and Latin) should be celebrated. Disputes of this kind came to be known as Paschal/Easter controversies. The first recorded such controversy came to be known as the Quartodeciman controversy. Polycarp was again summoned to Rome to debate this matter. He met with Anicetus and at the end of their meeting, Neither Polycarp nor Anicetus was able to persuade the other to his position, but neither did they consider the matter of sufficient importance to justify a schism. Indeed, Irenaeus also noted that "Anicetus conceded to Polycarp in the Church the celebration of the Eucharist, by way of showing him respect"; Anicetus and Polycarp parted in peace leaving the question unsettled.
. Outside of the account of St. Stephen’s Martyrdom as recorded in Acts chapter 7, the letter entitled “The Martyrdom of Polycarp” is considered one of the earliest, genuine accounts of Christian martyrdom, and is one of the very few genuine accounts from the actual age of the persecutions. In reading the account of his Martyrdom, I noticed some similarities between Polycarp’s execution and the events that led up to it and that of Jesus’s own