Life and significance
A disciple of the apostles and faithful martyr
St Polycarp was bishop of Smyrna in Asia Minor and one of the clearest links between the apostles and the Church of the second century. Orthodox tradition remembers him as a disciple of St John the Apostle. St Irenaeus of Lyons, who heard Polycarp teach when he was young, says that Polycarp had known apostles and faithfully handed down what he had received from them.
Polycarp was also a friend and fellow bishop of St Ignatius of Antioch. His surviving Letter to the Philippians is simple and pastoral. It calls Christians to faith, good works, endurance, care for those in need, faithful ministry, and a true confession of Jesus Christ. His life and teaching show how the early Church guarded the apostolic faith while facing false teaching and persecution.
The Martyrdom of Polycarp tells how the elderly bishop was arrested and ordered to deny Christ. He refused and remained faithful to the end, becoming one of the best-known martyrs of the early Church. The exact year of his martyrdom is debated, but it took place in the second century. The Orthodox Church honors St Polycarp as a holy bishop and martyr whose life joined apostolic teaching with courageous witness.