"Apostle-like in ways, heir to their seat, joy of bishops and honour of martyrs, God-inspired one; you braved fire, sword, and beasts for the sake of faith, rightfully speaking the word of truth. You suffered even unto blood; O Holy Hieromartyr Ignatius, intercede with Christ our God to save our souls."
(Troparion, Tone 4)
On 11 February, the Church commemorates the translation of the relics of Saint Ignatius the God-bearer (108 AD).
In the second century AD, Antioch held great sway among Roman cities, surpassed only by Rome and Alexandria in size and standing. By the 40s after the Lord’s Resurrection, believers here had already formed the Antiochian Church, and it was in Antioch that followers of Christ were first called Christians. The apostles sent Saint Barnabas to that place, then Paul came from Tarsus. Saints Peter and John also preached there. Amidst fellowship with the holy disciples of the Saviour, another light emerged — Saint Ignatius the God-bearer.
Fresco from the Church of the Ascension in the Žiča Monastery, Serbia (1309–1316)
A Syrian by origin, Saint Ignatius bore the name Nurono — "the fiery one". Ignatius, from the Latin ignis — "fire" — became his adopted name. Details of his early life remain shrouded in time, but tradition says that in his childhood, the Lord took him in His arms during His preaching and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). His hagiography says that he was called the God-bearer because of his deep love for Jesus Christ, for he prayed to Him without pause and was a chosen vessel who carried the divine Name before peoples and kings.
Together with Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, Ignatius was a disciple of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. He also walked closely with Peter, joining him on some of his travels. In his "Encomium to Ignatius," Saint John Chrysostom recounted the saint’s close communion with the apostles, from whom he drew spiritual nourishment. He "grew up among them and stayed at their side, sharing in their words and in mysteries beyond words." Chrysostom also writes that the apostles themselves gave him authority as bishop: "the hands of the blessed apostles touched that sacred head of his" (Ioan. Chrysost. In S. Ign. 2).
Early Christian communities in the Roman Empire
Shortly before the fall of Jerusalem in AD 72, the holy Apostle Evodius (one of the Seventy) departed this life, and Saint Ignatius succeeded him on the Antiochian throne. He shepherded his flock with zeal, tirelessly serving in the Lord's vineyard for about 40 years, from AD 67 to 107. Once, in a vision, Ignatius glimpsed heavenly worship, his ears filled with angelic song. Inspired by the angels, Ignatius brought antiphonal singing to the liturgies in Antioch: two choirs taking turns to perform hymns, creating a kind of call and response. From Syria, this way of worship spread swiftly through the early Christian Church. When persecution arose under Domitian, the saint, "by the rudder of prayer and fasting, by tireless teaching, with fervour of spirit, resisted the unrest, so that none who were fainthearted or unskilled would falter."*
Saint Ignatius
After a triumphant war against the Scythians, Dacians, and others in 106 AD, Emperor Trajan, flushed with victory, turned his attention to Christianity, troubled by its growing influence. He decreed that all, Christian and pagan alike, must offer sacrifices to idols. Death awaited those who refused. In 107 AD, Trajan set out against the Armenians and Parthians and passed through Antioch. He learned of Ignatius, the city's bishop, who openly confessed Christ, taught disdain for wealth, upheld chastity, and refused to worship idols. The emperor summoned him.
Wishing to safeguard the Church and hoping, if he could, to sway Trajan from persecuting believers or else to die for Christ’s name, Saint Ignatius willingly presented himself before the emperor. Trajan greeted him, saying, "Who are you, vile spirit, disrupting our laws and leading others to do the same, so they might perish miserably?"
The saint replied, "No one calls the God-bearer a wicked spirit; evil spirits flee from God's servants. If my opposition to these spirits makes me wicked in your eyes, then I accept the label."
"And who is this God-bearer?" Trajan asked.
"He who carries Christ in his heart," answered Saint Ignatius.
"Do we not harbour gods within us who aid us against our foes?" questioned the emperor.
"You wrongly honour and elevate demons as gods," said the saint. "There is one God, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and one Christ Jesus, His only Begotten Son, Whose Kingdom I long to enter."
"Are you speaking of Him Who was crucified under Pontius Pilate?" Trajan inquired.
"Yes, Him who crucified my sin, along with its author, and condemned all deceit and malice of demons, casting them beneath the feet of those who bear Him in their hearts," confessed Ignatius.
"So, you carry the Crucified One within you?" the emperor mused.
"Indeed, for it is written: 'I will dwell in them and walk among them' (cf. Leviticus 26:12)," replied Saint Ignatius. At that, Trajan pronounced his sentence. He commanded that the God-bearer be led away in shackles to Rome and there given over to beasts.
The journey of Saint Ignatius the God-bearer from Antioch to Rome
Accompanied by ten harsh soldiers — whom he called leopards for their brutal treatment — Saint Ignatius, the holy Bishop of Antioch, set out on the journey to his Golgotha. "From Syria to Rome, by land and sea, night and day," he wrote, "I fight with beasts. Bound to ten leopards — a band of soldiers who, despite kindness shown them, become only more vicious." Yet this arduous path was also one of glory — a triumph of Christ's faith and of its confessor.
Condemned persons in the Roman Empire were taken on any passing ship, which stopped at various places as needed. From Antioch, Saint Ignatius reached the port of Seleucia, then travelled overland to Smyrna. As they moved through Asia Minor — Philadelphia, Sardis, and other towns — he made use of the freedoms allowed to prisoners under Roman law. Bribes softened the guards, granting him some leeway. Thus, he got to meet with fellow Christians along the way.
In Smyrna, he hastened to see the young Bishop Polycarp. Bishops from nearby cities — Ephesus, Magnesia, and Tralles — also gathered, eager to show their love and respect for the esteemed Bishop of Antioch and to hear his teachings. Saint Ignatius gave them letters for their churches, asking the whole Church to aid his martyr’s calling with prayers.
In word and deed, Holy martyr Ignatius strengthened Christians in their faith, urging them to guard against false teachings and to hold firmly to apostolic traditions. In his Epistle to the Ephesians, he wrote: "Hold fast to faith and love, and show yourselves to be Christians in deeds, not just words. Faith and love are the beginning and end of life — faith is the start, love is the fulfilment; together they are the work of God. All other virtues flow from these. No one who confesses faith sins; no one who has love hates."
Icon with the relics of the Holy Martyr Ignatius the God-bearer in the Church of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God of St. Elisabeth Convent, Minsk
From Smyrna, Saint Ignatius’ path led him to Troas — likely by sea. There, he received welcome news: the Church in Antioch was at peace, and by God's mercy, the persecutions had ceased. He composed three more letters — to the Philadelphians, the Smyrnaeans, and to Bishop Polycarp — asking the Philadelphians to encourage his flock in Antioch. From Troas, Saint Ignatius sailed to Neapolis, then walked to Philippi. He asked the Philippians to send his letter to Syria for the Church in Antioch. Sadly, that letter has not survived.
After crossing the Adriatic, Ignatius landed in Ostia, the port for ships sailing up the Tiber to Rome, which lacked a sea harbour. From Ostia to Rome, the Holy Martyr walked.
By God’s gracious design, the lengthy travels of Saint Ignatius the God-bearer became the high point of his teaching. Along the way, he wrote letters to the Christians in the churches that welcomed him. Some are lost to us, but seven remain: "To the Ephesians," "To the Magnesians," "To the Trallians," "To the Romans," "To the Philadelphians," "To the Smyrnaeans," and "To Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna." Because of his close connection to the apostles, the Church honours Ignatius, along with Clement of Rome and Polycarp of Smyrna, as an "apostolic man."
Editions of the "Epistles of the Holy Martyr Ignatius the God-bearer," translated into Russian
The saint’s words shine with deep care and love for his flock, sealed with his own blood. Even more wondrous is the spiritual height of Saint Ignatius the God-bearer, from which he yearns for the martyr's crown. In his Letter to the Romans, he bares his heart: "Oh, that I may not be deprived of the beasts prepared for me! I pray they may fall upon me with eagerness. I will entice them, so they will devour me at once, and not leave me as they did some whom they feared to touch. If they should hold back of their own accord, I will prod them on. Pardon me; I know what is beneficial for me. Now I begin to be a disciple. Let nothing, visible or invisible, hinder me from reaching Jesus Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the crowds of wild beasts, let tearings and dismemberings, let the breaking of bones and the severing of limbs, let all the torments of the devil come upon me — only let me attain to Jesus Christ" (ch. V).
Aflame with the desire to suffer for Him who was crucified for him, the saint asks believers not to stand in his way: "I write to the Churches and declare to all that I die willingly for God, if only you do not hinder me. I beseech you, do not show me an untimely kindness. Allow me to be food for the wild beasts, through which I can reach God. I am God's wheat, and I shall be ground by the teeth of beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ" (ch. IV, VI, VII).
The suffering of Saint Ignatius the God-bearer
On 2 January 107 AD, in the arena of the Colosseum in Rome, Saint Ignatius met his end, torn apart by lions. When Emperor Trajan heard of his fearless death, he halted the persecutions of Christians. The relics of Saint Ignatius were later returned to Antioch and then to Rome, where they were placed in the church dedicated to the Holy Martyr Clement, Pope of Rome. We commemorate the translation of his relics on 11 February.
Prayer to the Holy Martyr Ignatius the God-bearer:
O Great Hierarch, God-bearer Ignatius! We fall before and beseech you: intercede with the Lord, that He may forgive us all our transgressions. You laid down your soul for the faith as a martyr; grant us too the fortitude to follow your example in every way. Be, O holy servant of God, an advocate before the Lord for us, your unworthy servants. Aid all Orthodox Christians with your holy prayers to Almighty God, that He may deliver us from famine, earthquakes, hail, drought, and deadly diseases, and grant us health and salvation. Be swift to help us in all our troubles, especially at the hour of our death. Show yourself as a shining protector and intercessor, and implore the Lord that we may all be deemed worthy, as we earnestly pray to you, to receive, through a Christian end, the Heavenly Kingdom, where all the saints together with you eternally glorify the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Material prepared by the team of obitel-minsk.ru
Photographs from the internet
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* Martyrdom of Ignatius (Antiochian Acts), 1.
Sources used:
1. Writings of the Apostolic Fathers — Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, 2008.
2. St. Ignatius the God-bearer, Bishop of Antioch (mstud.org).
3. Sts. John Chrysostom, Nicholas the Wonderworker, Ignatius the God-bearer (pstgu.ru).
4. Ignatius the God-bearer (pravenc.ru).
5. Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer / Patriarchia.ru (patriarchia.ru).