In apostolic times, in the city of Smyrna (Asia Minor), there lived a pious and wealthy widow named Callista.
Loving the Lord, she diligently fulfilled His commandments and generously helped the poor. She was childless and took upon herself the upbringing of an orphaned boy named Polycarp. She soon loved him as her own son, and when he grew up, she entrusted him with all her home and property. Polycarp deserved the love of his benefactor and from his youngest age was good and pious. Dying, Callista left Polycarp all her property. But he did not love earthly wealth and gave everything to the poor, and he himself lived in great abstinence, constantly praying to God and serving the poor, the sick and the elderly.
The bishop of Smyrna, Saint Vucolos, fell in love with the pious young man. Seeing in him great zeal for the law of the Lord, he appointed him first a church minister, and then a deacon, and entrusted him with preaching the word of God. At that time, the holy apostles John the Theologian and Paul were preaching in Asia Minor. Polycarp listened to them, became their disciple, and accompanied them to many cities of Asia Minor, helping them in the spread of the holy faith. Fulfilling the desire of the holy apostles, Saint Vucolos ordained Polycarp a priest. In this capacity, Polycarp continued to serve God zealously. He preached to the people, told about the life and miracles of the Savior, clarified His law, calling the pagans to the knowledge of the truth. Listening to him, many people left idolatry and the immoral deeds associated with it and accepted the Christian faith.
Before his death, St. Vucolo had a revelation that Polycarp should be his successor. Dying, the bishop entrusted his flock to him. At the consecration of Polycarp to the episcopate, miraculous phenomena testified to the whole people that the grace of God rested on him: a wonderful light illuminated the church, and some of the believers saw a white dove flying around the head of Polycarp.
St. Polycarp soon became the most respected bishop in Asia Minor. Even the pagans revered him for his virtues, fortitude and meekness. He converted many to Christ, and his disciples glorified him in turn with the holiness of their lives, for example, St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Papias of Hierapolis, and Pionius. He constantly preached the word of God, wrote epistles to newly converted Christians, and constantly cared for the welfare and spiritual benefit of his flock. St. Ignatius the God-Bearer mentions in his epistles the holy life of the Bishop of Smyrna. On his way to Rome, Ignatius, who had already been sentenced to death, spent several days with Polycarp in Smyrna and from there wrote epistles to the churches. The Lord also glorified Polycarp before men through the gift of miracles. He gave him the power to heal diseases, miraculously protecting him in the midst of troubles and dangers. Once, traveling through Asia Minor, Polycarp stopped at an inn. Suddenly, at night, he was awakened by the appearance of an angel, who commanded him to immediately leave the inn. Polycarp barely managed to get out, and the building collapsed.
During his episcopate, Christians were severely persecuted and persecuted. However, Bishop Polycarp ruled the Smyrna Church for a long time and lived to a ripe old age.
Around 167, under Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, persecution raged with particular force in Asia Minor. Many Christians died amid terrible tortures. The pagans and Jews were embittered against Polycarp, because they knew with what force and zeal he preached Christ, and therefore they wanted him to be brought to trial. St. Polycarp was not afraid of death and steadfastly expected to be captured. But the Christians wanted to save the life of their beloved bishop and begged him to withdraw from the city for a while, hoping that the severe persecution would soon end. St. Polycarp agreed to fulfill their request and went to a nearby village. There he spent the days in prayer. But soon he had a vision that foretold him that the hour of his martyrdom was near. He saw, as it were, the pillow of his bed in flames, and calmly said to those with him: "I will be burned in fire for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." Indeed, his refuge became known to the enemies, and three days after the vision, soldiers sent from the city came to the village where Polycarp was.
When the saint learned of their arrival, he said: "May the will of my Lord God be done!" - and went out to meet them. At the sight of the venerable elder, whose face shone with meekness and unearthly calmness, the soldiers involuntarily felt awe and did not dare to lay a hand on him. Polycarp spoke softly to them, told them to prepare lunch for them, and asked them to give him an hour of prayer.
While the soldiers were having lunch, he prayed fervently, thanking God for all His benefits and asking for His help for the Church, persecuted and scattered throughout the land. Strengthened by prayer, St. Polycarp went out to the soldiers who took him to Smyrna. When they brought him to the court, all the infidels shouted joyfully: "The wicked Polycarp has been captured!" For they rightly considered him the head of the Christians in Asia Minor. And the Christians who were in the crowd, and Polycarp himself, heard a voice from heaven: "Be courageous, Polycarp!" This voice encouraged all the Christians and filled the holy elder with new strength.
The judge began to persuade Polycarp to deny Christ and blaspheme Him.
- Eighty years I have served my Lord God – Polycarp calmly replied - and He has never done me any harm, but has bestowed many benefits on me! How then can I blaspheme my King?
- In that case, I will release the fierce beasts against you - said the judge.
- Do whatever you want! After all, I will not change my good fate for bad.
- I will throw you into the fire - said the judge, - hoping to influence Polycarp through threats, because he himself wanted to save him. But the bishop calmly said to him:
- You threaten me with fire that is extinguished, but you do not know about the eternal fire prepared for those who do iniquity.
Then the judge ordered them to loudly proclaim that Polycarp declared himself a Christian. The pagans and Jews vehemently demanded his death, shouting: "This is the corrupter of all Asia Minor, the father of Christians, the destroyer of our law. Let him be burned!"
Then the judge, seeing the rage of the crowd and having lost hope of persuading Polycarp to deny Christ, ordered wood and dry branches to be brought. They made a pyre and, having seized the holy elder, wanted to nail him to the pyre. But Polycarp said to the torturers: "There is no need for you to nail me. He who gave me the desire will also give me the strength to endure torture and remain motionless on the pyre." Then they tied him up and placed him on the pyre. He prayed, saying: "I thank you, Lord my God, that you have counted me among your disciples and confessors, that I drink the cup of suffering for Christ's sake and become a participant in His torment, so that at the resurrection I may be a participant with Him in eternal life. Accept me as an acceptable sacrifice! I glorify and praise you, God, and Jesus Christ, your Son, and the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory now and always and forever, amen!" Meanwhile, the pagans and Jews were piling dry branches on the pyre, and when Polycarp finished his prayer, they lit the great fire. But here a miracle occurred that amazed those present and showed everyone the power of God: the flame only surrounded the holy martyr, gathering above him like a vault and not reaching his body, which remained unharmed. Then the judge ordered a soldier to pierce Polycarp with a long spear. This was done, and the blood, flowing profusely from the wound, extinguished the flames of the pyre. Amazed by the miraculous phenomena that accompanied the martyrdom of Saint Polycarp, the Jews begged the judge to order the martyr's body to be burned, for they feared that the Christians would begin to worship him as God. This was done. Thus the wicked torturers burned dead the one whom they could not burn alive. Saint Polycarp died a martyr's death in 167, on Holy Saturday. – – it is said in the epistle, which describes the martyrdom of Saint Polycarp, that we cannot depart from Christ the Lord, who died on the Cross for the salvation of the whole world, and accept another god. To Him, as the true Son of God, we render divine honor, and the martyrs, as disciples and followers of Christ, who suffered for love of Him, we joyfully honor and desire to imitate. The centurion, by order of the judge, burned the body of Polycarp, and we - so the Smyrnaean Christians write to all the churches - gathered from the ashes his bones, more precious than gold and precious stones, and buried him in a clean place, where we will joyfully celebrate the day of his suffering, in memory of those who suffered for Christ, and for the support of those who, through the same death, will confess and glorify Christ - our true God. We send you this message through brother Mark. When you have read it, give it to the other brothers, so that they too may glorify God, who has shown us such a faithful chosen one, and may fill us with His grace and bring us into His eternal kingdom through His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, honor, and majesty forever. Amen."
These few lines are excerpts from the epistle by which the Smyrnaean Christians informed their brothers in other churches of the martyrdom of their holy bishop. Similar epistles were sent from one church to another in order to arouse in all Christians zeal for the Lord and so that all of them could worthily commemorate the memory of the holy martyrs who died for Christ. Unfortunately, few such epistles have come down to us, because during the time of persecution the pagans diligently searched for and burned all Christian manuscripts.
One epistle has survived from St. Polycarp of Smyrna, in which he gives rules for Christian life and persuades Christians to fulfill their duties, to be firm in faith, obedient and patient, following the example of the One who "suffered all things for us, that we might live in Him."