Saturday, October 19 : Letter of the church of Smyrna concerning its martyrs

The most admirable of the martyrs was Polycarp. When he heard of all that had taken place, he was not disturbed and even decided to stay in Smyrna; but most people advised him to slip out quietly. And so he left secretly for a small estate on the outskirts, staying there with a few friends. Day and night he did little else but pray for everyone and for all the churches scattered throughout the world, as he was indeed accustomed to do… The police and cavalry set out… with the usual arms as though against a brigand. It was late in the evening when they closed in: they found him reclining in a small room upstairs. He could have left and gone elsewhere but he refused, saying: “May the will of God be done.” And so, hearing that they had arrived he went downstairs to talk with them, while all those present were surprised at his composure and his old age, and why there should have been such concern to capture so elderly a man. At any rate Polycarp immediately ordered food and drink to be set before them, as much as they wished, even at this hour, and only requested that they might grant him an hour to pray undisturbed. When they consented, he stood up and began to pray…, and so full was he of God’s grace that he was unable to stop for two hours, to the amazement of those who heard him, and many were sorry that they had come out to arrest such a godlike old man. Finally he finished his prayer, after calling to mind all those who had ever come into contact with him, both important and insignificant, famous and obscure, and the entire Catholic Church scattered throughout the world. It was now time to go, and so they put him on a donkey and thus conducted him into the city. It was a great Sabbath day.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team