Ignatius

IGNATIUS, a disciple of the Apostles, bishop of Antioch, and a martyr. He suffered under the persecution of Trajan. Some have asserted, that S. Ignatius, otherwise called Theophoros, or Theopheros, was the child whom Jesus took into his arms, to propose as a pattern of Christian Quidam apud Anastas. Bibliothec. & alii. Matth. xviii. 2, 3, 5, &c. Chrysost. t. 1. orat. 42. p. 706.humility. But this particular is by no means certain. We have some letters of S. Ignatius to the blessed Virgin, and others from the blessed Virgin to Ignatius; but they are very well known to be spurious. The name of S. Ignatius is not to be met with in any monument of the New Testament. S. Chrysostom says, that he never saw Jesus Christ; but he is believed to have been a disciple of S. Peter and S. John the Evangelist. We have some epistles written by this holy man, as he was going to Rome in order to suffer martyrdom there. They Greg. Mag. l. 4. Ep. 37. Hieronym. in Chronic. Ignatii Acta, p. 1, 5.abound with that divine fire, with which he was inflamed. The history of his martydom is generally known; and besides has no relation to our subject.

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