Ignatius followed St Peter as bishop of Antioch. Condemned to death by being thrown to wild beasts, he was brought to Rome for execution and was martyred there under Emperor Trajan in 107. On the journey to Rome he wrote seven epistles to different churches, which give a clear picture of Christian belief and practice a century or so after Christ’s birth. At Antioch, this day was observed in his memory as early as the fourth century. His name is mentioned in the Roman Canon. – CTS New Daily Roman Missal 2012, p 3072; Christian Prayer 1990, p 1255
