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The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase καθόλου 'on the whole, according to the whole, in general', and is a combination of the Greek words κατά 'about' and ὅλος 'whole'. The first known use of "Catholic" was by the church father Saint Ignatius of Antioch in his Letter to the Smyrnaeans. In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages.
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Polycarp was a Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp, he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to consume his body. Polycarp is regarded as a saint and Church Father in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism.
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The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers who established the intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Christianity. The historical period in which they worked became known as the Patristic Era and spans approximately from the late 1st to mid-8th centuries, flourishing in particular during the 4th and 5th centuries, when Christianity was in the process of establishing itself as the state church of the Roman Empire.
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The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians is an epistle attributed to Ignatius of Antioch, a second-century bishop of Antioch, and addressed to the church in Magnesia on the Maeander. It was written during Ignatius' transport from Antioch to his execution in Rome.
The Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp is an epistle attributed to Ignatius of Antioch, a second-century bishop of Antioch, and addressed to Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. It was written during Ignatius' transport from Antioch to his execution in Rome.
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians is an epistle attributed to Ignatius of Antioch, a second-century bishop of Antioch, and addressed to the church in Philadelphia of Asia Minor. It was written during Ignatius' transport from Antioch to his execution in Rome.
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians is an epistle attributed to Ignatius of Antioch, a second-century bishop of Antioch, and addressed to the church in Ephesus of Asia Minor. It was written during Ignatius' transport from Antioch to his execution in Rome.
References
- ↑ Ignatius to the Magnesians 2:1.
- ↑ John GAMBOLD, Thomas ERSKINE (of Linlathen.), The works of J. G. With an introductory essay, by T. Erskine, etc (Chalmers & Collins, 1823) p81.
- ↑ The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians.
- ↑ Ignatius to the Magnesians .
- ↑ John Gambold, The Martyrdom of Ignatius: A Tragedy (I. Ashmead & Company for J. Wright, 1832)p21.
- ↑ Ignatius to the Magnesians 3:1.
- ↑ [Church History (Book 3:36:5.
- ↑ Church History Book 3:36:5.