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Article: St. Polycarp.(Fathers Of The Church II)
- Article from:
- Catholic Insight
- Article date:
- May 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Catholic Insight. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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"I have served Christ for 86 years," claimed Polycarp at his trial, thus providing a clue for first-century practice of infant baptism, not formally attested until Tertullian's (c.160-225) treatise On Baptism.
Irenaeus of Lyon (c.130-200) reminisces over the aged Polycarp's 'camp-fire tales' of being a pupil of St John and hearing stories of The Lord from other Apostles.
Eusebius dates Polycarp's martyrdom to the reign of Marcus Aurelius (161-80), either 166 or 169. According to the Church of Smyrna's official Letter, "He was arrested when Statius Quadratus was the Proconsul, but Jesus Christ was reigning for ever," this finale combatively replacing the ...