<p>St. Polycarp was born in 69, and was a Bishop of Smyrna.&nbsp; According to the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp, he died a martyr by being bound and burnt at the stake.&nbsp; Miraculously the fires did not touch him so they stabbed him to death.&nbsp; St. Irenaeus recorded that he heard him speak in his youth, and that he was a disciple of St. John the Apostle.&nbsp; St. Jerome also wrote that St. Polycarp was a disciple of St. John and that John had ordained him as the Bishop of Smyrna. &nbsp;</p> <p>Early tradition tried to link St. Polycarp in competition to St. John the Apostle, whose life was in contrast to St. Polycarp as far as martyrdom.&nbsp; Many people tried to kill St. John, but he was not martyred, rather he died of old age after being exiled to the island of Patmos.&nbsp; Along with Clement of Rome and Ignatius of Antioch, St. Polycarp is regarded as one of the three chief Apostolic Fathers.&nbsp; The only surviving work attributed to his authorship is his letter to the Philippians, and St. Irenaeus of Lyons recorded it.&nbsp; St. Irenaeus wrote an account of St. Polycarp&rsquo;s life.&nbsp; In it he gives an account of his martyrdom.&nbsp; Outside of the Book of Acts, which contains the death of St. Stephen, St. Polycarp&rsquo;s death is considered one of the earliest genuine accounts of Christian martyrdom, and is one of the few genuine accounts from the actual age of the persecutions. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>St. Polycarp is recorded as saying on the day of his death, &ldquo;Eighty and six years I have served him&rdquo;, which would indicate that he was then eighty-six years old or that he may have lived eighty-six years after his conversion.&nbsp; He goes on to say, &ldquo;How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior?&nbsp; Bring forth what thou wilt&rdquo;.&nbsp; St. Polycarp was then martyred for refusing to burn incense to the Roman Emperor. &nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Practical Take Away</strong></span></p> <p>St. Polycarp was born in 69, and was the Bishop of Smyrna.&nbsp; He was a Disciple of St. John the Apostle.&nbsp; He studied and followed St. John and was ordained as Bishop of Smyrna by St. John the Apostle.&nbsp; The Catholic Church regards him as one of the three chief Apostolic Fathers.&nbsp; St. Irenaeus recorded his life and martyrdom.&nbsp; According to the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp, he died a martyr by being bound and burnt at the stake.&nbsp; Miraculously the fires did not touch him so they stabbed him to death.&nbsp; His life shows the struggles our early Church fathers had in spreading the Christian Church.&nbsp; Other than St. Stephen in the Book of Acts, St. Polycarp&rsquo;s martyrdom is considered one of the earliest genuine accounts of a Christian Martyrdom.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>