POLYCARP, Bishop of Smyrna, and one of the most illustrious Of the early Christian martyrs, was born in the latter part of the 1st c. 4.D., but neither the date nor the place of his birth is known. He was, however (according to a legendary fragment ascribed to an unknown Pionins), brought up at Smyrna, where his pupil, Irenams, states that Poly carp was taught the doctrines of Christianity by the apostles. particularly by John, with whom lie had "familiar intercourse." The testimony of Irenmus on this point is of immense value, as it furnishes the chief historical link uniting the apostolic age—that age which is reflected in the later parts of the New Testament—with the rising church of the 2d century. The passage occurs in an expostulatory epistle to a Roman heretic, Florinus, and is preserved by Eusebius (Fist. Ecel. chap. xx.). "I can tell also the very place where the blessed Polycarp was accustomed to sit and discourse; and also his entrances, his walks, the complexion of his life, and the 'form of his body. and his con versations with the people, and his familiar intercourse with John, as lie was accustomed to tell, and also his familiarity with those that had seen the Lord. Also concerning his miracles, his doctrines, all these were told by Polyearp, in consistency with the holy Scriptures, as he had received them from the eye-witnesses of the doctrine of salvation."?The fragment of Pionius which reference has already been made) informs us that Polycarp, when only a little child, was adopted by a rich Christian lady named Callisto, who left him heir to all her wealth; in consequence of which he was enabled to gratify his love of works of beneficence and charity. We are, however, utterly without the means of determining what truth (if any) there is in the narrative of Pionius, and can only feel certain that in some way or other he had distinguished himself at a compara tively early period, for before the death of the apostle John (i.e., at the latest, before 104 A.D.). he was ordained bishop or Smyrna (according to Tertullian and Jerome) by John himself; according to Tremens, by "the apostles;" and according to Pionius, by "the bishops of the neighboring churches"—statements which are quite reconcilaule with each other. Polyearp was in the exercise of his episcopal functions when Ignatius of Antioch
passed through Smyrna on his road to Rome (107-16 A.D.), and we are told that the two pupils of St. John, who bad probably known one another in earlier years, had much delightful Christian converse. Almost half a century afterward Polyearp himself visited Rome, when Anicenis was bishop there (157-68 A.D.), and had a friendly conference with his brother on the subject of the proper time to hold Easter. They could not agree—but they agreed to differ. His martyrdom, which is related at great length and in a touch ing manner by Eusebius (Hist, Ecel, chap. xiv.), took place probably in 166 A.D., during the persecution under the emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Vents. When asked, or rather entreated "to revile Christ" by the proconsul Statics Quadrants, who, being deeply impressed with the venerable appearance of the aged bishop, wished if possible to save his life, Polyearp replied, "Eighty-and-six years have I served Him, and He never did Inc wrong; and how can I now blaspheme my King that has saved me?" Polycarp was burned a-live. In such profound reverence was he held by his fellow-Christians, for his almost perfect graces of character, that the Jews (who bad been conspicuously zeal otis in collecting "wood and straw from the shops and baths" to burn him) instigated the proconsul not to give up the corpse of the martyr to his co-religionists, " lest, aban Him that was crucified, they should begin to worship this one." More convincing evidence of n saintly character has never been adduced.
Polycarp wrote several Epistokr, of which only one has been preserved, the Epistola ad Pkuippenses, valnable for its numerous quotations from the New Testament—espe cially from the writings of Paul and Peter. It is, however, doubtful whether this epistle is really by Polyearp. In the most recent edition of the Apostolic Fathers(Palrum Apes tolienram Opera, Leipsie, 187'7), prof. Zahn defends its genuineness. There are English versions by Cave, Clemeutson, and Wake.