Ignatius Of Antioch
| Saint Ignatius of Antioch | |
|---|---|
 Martyrdom of St. Ignatius | |
| Bishop and Martyr, God-Bearer, Father of the Church | |
| Birth | to 35 Syria |
| Deaths | to 110 Rome |
| Day | October 17 |
| Patron saint | Churches of the Middle East, North Africa Churches |
| Servant of God Venerable Happy St. | |
Ignatius of Antioch St. Ignatius, born about 35 of Syrian origin, who died probably 107 or 113 , was the third bishop of Antioch after St. Peter and Evode , who succeeded to Ignatius 68.
Ignatius, who also gave the name of "God-Bearer" (that is to say, that would "God" in him), was probably a disciple of the apostles Peter and John.
Several of his letters have survived. It is generally considered one of the Apostolic Fathers (the first of the Fathers of the Church ).
It is a saint to the Catholic Church , which celebrates the October 17 (during the long February 1 ), and for churches Orthodox and Eastern Catholics, who celebrate the December 20th.
Summary |
Ignatius was arrested by the authorities and transferred to Rome to be killed in the arena, during the persecution of Trajan. We hoped to make an example to curb the spread of Christianity. Instead, he met and encouraged many Christians on his way and he wrote letters to the Ephesians , to Magnesians , Trallians , Philadelphians , Smyrniens , and Romans , as well as the letter to Polycarp , who according to tradition was Bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of St. John the Evangelist.
His strong desire of martyrdom in the bloody arena may seem strange to the modern reader: he designed the martyr as a libation , an offering to Christ as is the gospel.
Letters authentic and apocryphal
Given the small number of writings of the period of the Church, these letters ( GIC one thousand and twenty-five - 1036 ) had an influence in the development of theology Christian. They seem to have been written in haste and without proper plan as a series of unsystematic thoughts.
Ignatius is the first Christian writer who has reached us whose writings strongly emphasize loyalty to the bishop of the city, assisted by presbyters ( priests ) and deacons. The earlier writings mention is indeed the bishops or presbyters, and give the impression that there were several bishops by community. Ignatius also emphasizes the value of the Eucharist , and calls him a "medicine for eternal life." He showed that the Roman Church had primacy over other churches, because she presided over love.
However, the fifteen letters we have received under the name of Ignatius of Antioch, only seven are now commonly regarded as genuine. The problems of authenticity does not concern only the number of writings, but also their content.
Indeed, some of these letters were received from three "forms": a short, medium, and long. All the critics - among whom he should appoint Tischendorf - agree to recognize as "average" characteristics of originality, the short form (for letters to Polycarp, to the Romans and Ephesians, Syriac) proving to be an abbreviated form of the letters, while the long form (found in manuscripts containing the letters recognized as Pseudepigrapha) is interpolated into a review subsequent theological perspective. The letters in the form of "average", we have succeeded in different languages: some Greek manuscripts have the letters to Polycarp, Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Philadelphians, and Smyrna, another Letter to the Romans. This letter to the Romans "is also inserted in a Syriac manuscript of the Martyrdom of St. Ignatius. A Latin version was made in the Greek, these letters are also known, and an Armenian version, done on a Syriac translation. Finally, the Letter to Smyrna is also known by a Coptic version. All of these versions has restored the text of the letters in a degree of probability is quite remarkable.
By cons, letters to tarsal Antioch, Philippians, the deacon Heron, the apostle John, the Virgin Mary, as well as correspondence with Mary proselyte, present in the manuscripts with either "long" (interpolated) of letters of Ignatius are recognized as Pseudepigrapha much later.
As for the account of the Martyrdom of St. Ignatius, though he has been extensively used to write the "biography" of Ignatius, it is unfortunately late. It contains various anachronisms absolutely do not see a reliable historical document: it's one of those innumerable "acts of martyrdom," where the writer's imagination supplies the missing information.
In 1979, the philologist agnostic Robert Joly concluded after a review largely philological, that the seven letters of Ignatius of Antioch are commonly held to be true "from a false middle Smyrna about 165 . The argument of R. Joly has not convinced everyone .
Theology of St. Ignatius
From its authentic letters, it is possible to paint a picture of the theological thought of Ignatius.
For example, we will only indicate his Christology and eucharistic theology.
While affirming the Oneness of God (Magn 8.2), Ignatius mentions the Trinity is using the words "the Son, the Father and the Spirit" (Magn 13.1) is "the Christ, the Father and the Spirit" (Magn 13.2). The Holy Spirit is mentioned several times, besides the previous two: Phil "suscr" and 7.1-2, Eph 18.2, Eph 9.1.
While affirming (against Docetists ) the reality of human life of Jesus Christ (Smyrn 4.2, 5.2; Eph 7.2, 18.2, 20.2; Smyrn 3.1, 4.2, see also Magn 11; Trall 9, Smyrn chap 1-6) Ignatius said with equal force his divinity (Smyrn 1.1; Trall 7.1; Eph "suscr", 1.1, 15.1, 19.3; Rom "suscr", 3.3, 6.3; Polyc 3.2, 8.3; Magn 6.1, 7.2 ...)
His theology of the Eucharist is also very specific: It effectively defines the Eucharist as a "medicine of immortality, an antidote against death" (Eph 20.2) those denouncing the passage (in this case Docetists) that "s' refrain from the Eucharist because they do not want to acknowledge it in the flesh of Jesus Christ "(Smyrna 7.1). He warns not to recognize as "valid Eucharist celebrated under the presidency of the bishop or his delegate." (Smyrn 8.2; see also chap Philad 4)
Source: The Apostolic Fathers, Greek text, translation, introduction and notes by A. Lelong, 1927
Citation
"The Church which presides in the region of the Romans, worthy of God, worthy of honor, worthy of being called blessed, worthy of praise, worthy of success, worthy of purity, which presides in charity, bringing the law of Christ, which bears the name of the Father. (Letter to the Christians of Rome)
Modern Edition
- Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, Letters, Martyrdom of Polycarp, the Greek text, introduction, translation and notes by PT Camelot, op, Paris, Editions du Cerf, coll. Christian sources, 2007. (Reproduction identical, not updated, edition of 1969. The education after 1969 are not mentioned.)
Bibliography
- Robert Joly , "The case of Ignatius of Antioch. Preliminary Reflections, "in Melanges Armand Abel, Vol. 3, Brill Archive, 1974, pp. 116-125, partially available on Google Books. (First Fruits of the book in 1979.)
- Robert Joly , Le dossier Ignatius of Antioch, Brussels, Editions de l'Universit de Bruxelles, 1979.
- Robert Joly , "The case of Ignatius of Antioch. Methodological reflections ", Problems of History of Christianity 9, Brussels 1980, 31-44.
- Charles Munier , "Where is the question of Ignatius of Antioch? Evaluation of a century of research 1870-1988 ", in W. Haase, Aufstieg und Niedergang der Welt Rmischen, vol. II.27.1, pp. 359-484, Walter de Gruyter, 1993, partially available on Google Books.
- Thomas Lechner, Ignatius adversus Valentinianos? Chronologische und Studien zu den theologiegeschichtliche Briefen Ignatius of Antioch von, vol. 47 of the Supplement to Vigiliae Christianae, Brill, 1999, partially available on Google Books. Returns, Ch cons Munier and WR Schoedel, a thesis similar to that of R. Joly. See review in Bernard Sesbo "Bulletin of Greek patristic theology," Religious Science Research 2 / 2002 (Volume 90), p. 249-287, online.
- The writings of the Apostolic Fathers , Full Text, Cerf, 2001.
- Jacques de Voragine , The Golden Legend , Bibliotheque de la Pleiade, Gallimard, 2004, published under the direction of Alain Boureau.
Link
External Links
- (En) The authentic letters of Ignatius of Antioch Online
- (En) English Translation of the Letters of Ignatius, whose Pseudepigrapha
References
- Robert Joly, Le dossier Ignatius of Antioch Publishing at the University of Brussels, Brussels, 1979. The words quoted are on the back cover. See also p. 115.
- "he rightly concludes that we are not based in any case, to consider the authenticity for granted and must be held, at the very least, questionable" (Roger Gryson, in Louvain Theological Review, vol X, 1979, p. 450. Quoted by Robert Joly, "About Ignatius of Antioch. Methodological Reflections." Problems of History of Christianity, No. 9, 1980, p. 31.)
- Charles Munier, "Where is the question of Ignatius of Antioch? Evaluation of a century of research 1870-1988 ", in W. Haase, Aufstieg und Niedergang der Welt Rmischen, vol. II.27.1, pp. 359-484, esp. 378-379, Walter de Gruyter, 1993, partially available on Google Books.
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