The Transfer of the Relics of the PriestMartyr Ignatios the God-Bearer:
Commemorated on January 29
The Transfer of
the Relics of the PriestMartyr Ignatios the God-Bearer: (the account about
him is located under 20 December). After the holy PriestMartyr Ignatios was
thrown for devouring by wild beasts at Rome dying in the year 107 – on orders
of the emperor Trajan, Christians gathered up his bones and preserved them at
Rome. Later in the year 108 they were transferred to the outskirts of Antioch.
A second transfer – into the city of Antioch itself, was done in the year 438.
And after the taking of Antioch by the Persians, the relics of the PriestMartyr
Ignatios were returned to Rome and placed into the church in honour of the holy
PriestMartyr Pope Clement in the year 540 (but according to other histories,
the year was 637). The PriestMartyr introduced antiphonal singing into Church
Divine-services. He has left us seven archpastoral epistles in which he
provided instruction on faith, love and good works, he urged likewise the
preserving of the oneness of the faith and to beware of heretics, and he bid
the obeying and honouring of bishops, "looking upon the bishop as upon
Christ Himself".
"Hearken ye unto
the bishop, so that God in turn might hearken unto you... let Baptism remain
with you, like a shield and buckler; faith – like an helmet; love – like a
spear; patience – like full armour".
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.