† Saints
St. Ignatius of Antioch
Martyr
Year 107
Ignacio means "full of fire" (Ingeus: fire).
Our holy fire was full of love for God.
Antioch was a famous city in Asia Minor, Syria, north of Jerusalem. In that city (which was the third in the Roman Empire, after Rome and Alexandria) was where the followers of Christ began to be called "Christians." Bishop of that city was San Ignacio, which became famous because when I was led to martyrdom, instead of being afraid, begging friends to help him ask God that the beasts were not to leave without destroying, because he wanted be killed by proclaiming his love for Jesus Christ.
They say he was a disciple of John the Evangelist. For 40 years he was as exemplary bishop of Antioch, after Rome, was the most important city for Christians, because it had the largest number of believers.
Emperor Trajan ordered to put prisoners to all who refused to worship the false gods of the heathen. As Ignacio refused to worship the idols, he was jailed and between the persecutor and the saint the following exchange occurred.
Why do you refuse to worship my gods, evil man?
Do not call me evil. Call me Theophorus Rather, it means that God has within himself.
Why not accept my gods?
Because they are not gods. There is but one God, who made heaven and earth. And his only Son Jesus Christ, whom I serve.
The emperor then ordered that Ignacio was taken to Rome and thrown to the beasts, to the amusement of the people.
Chained was taken prisoner in a boat from Antioch to Rome in a long and excruciating journey, during which the saint wrote seven letters that have become famous. Were addressed to the Churches of Asia Minor.
In one such letter says the soldiers who carried him were fierce as leopards, who treated him like wild animals and the more kindly he treated them with more fury tormented him.
The ship stopped in many ports and in each of those cities went the bishop and all Christians to greet the holy martyr and hear his teachings profitable. Kneeling received all his blessing. Several later went to Rome to join him in his glorious martyrdom.
With those who came forward to go to the capital before he sent a letter to the Roman Christians saying, "Please: I will not ask God to the beasts did not do anything. This would not be good for me but an evil. I want to be devoured, crushed as wheat, by the teeth of beasts to Jesus Christ and show the great love I have. And if when I get there I am filled with fear, I will ignore if I say I do not wanna die. them come over me, fire, cross, stabbed, fractures, bites, tears, and my body is in pieces so he could show my love to the Lord Jesus. " Admirable example!.
Arriving in Rome, came out to greet thousands of Christians. And some of them offered to talk with senior officials of the government for that not martyred. He begged them not to do so and knelt and prayed with them for the Church, for the purpose of persecution and peace in the world. As the next day was the last and busiest day of the festivals and the people wanted to see many martyred in the arena, characters that are especially important, was taken without the circus to throw him to the wolves. The year was 107.
Given the immense crowd was presented at the amphitheater. He prayed to God and then released two lions were hungry and fierce it tore and devoured, among the applause of the crowd ignorant and cruel. So what Ignacio got both wanted: to be martyred for proclaiming his love for Jesus Christ.
Some ancient writers say that Ignatius was the child that Jesus placed in through the apostles to tell them: "Those who do not do as a child can not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mark 9:36).
St. Ignatius says in his letters that Mary was ever virgin. He is the first to call Catholic, Church of Christ (Catholic means universal).
