Feastday 23rd
February
Born 69AD
Died 155AD
His father was
martyred – his mother was imprisioned – he was raised by a Catholic family. St
Polycarp faced persecution the way Christ did – his own church admired him for
not chasing martydom as some did – but
avoiding it until it was God’s will as Jesus did. He was tied up to be
burnt and when the fire was lit the eyewitnesses reported seeing a Miracle –
the fire burst up in an arch around St. Polycarp and instead of being burned he
seemed to glow as gold melting in a furnace. When his captors saw this they
stabbed him. The blood that flowed put the fire out.