USanta wosuku lwangoFebhuwari 23: indaba yeSan Policarpo

UPolycarp, umbhishobhi waseSmirna, umfundi kaSt. John the Apostle nomngani kaSt. Ignatius wase-Antiyokiya, wayengumholi ohlonishwayo ongumKristu phakathi nengxenye yokuqala yekhulu lesibili leminyaka.

USt. Ignatius, esendleleni eya eRoma eyobulawelwa ukholo, wavakashela uPolycarp eSmirna, futhi kamuva wambhalela incwadi eTrowa. Amasonto ase-Asia Minor abuhloniphile ubuholi bukaPolycarp bemkhetha njengommeleli wokuxoxa noPapa Anicetus usuku lokugubha iPhasika eRoma, enye yezimpikiswano ezinkulu eSontweni lokuqala.

Yisodwa kuphela sezincwadi eziningi ezibhalwe uPolycarp esisindayo, leyo ayibhalela iSonto LaseFilipi eMakedoniya.

Ku-86, UPolycarp wayiswa enkundleni eyayigcwele abantu yaseSmyrna ukuze ayoshiswa ephila. Amalangabi awazange amlimaze wagcina ebulewe ngenkemba. Induna yekhulu iyalele ukuthi kushiswe umzimba kasanta. "Izenzo" zokubulawa kukaPolycarp yi-akhawunti yokuqala egcinwe futhi enokwethenjelwa ngokuphelele yokufa komfel 'ukholo ongumKristu. Wafa ngo-155.

Ukuzindla: UPolycarp wahlonishwa njengomholi wamaKristu yiwo wonke amaKristu ase-Asia Minor, inqaba eqinile yokholo nokwethembeka kuJesu Kristu. Amandla akhe avela ekuthembeleni kwakhe kuNkulunkulu, noma ngabe izehlakalo ziphikisana nalokhu kuthenjwa. Ephila phakathi kwamaqaba futhi engaphansi kukahulumeni ophikisana nenkolo entsha, wayehola futhi ondle umhlambi wakhe. NjengoMalusi Omuhle, wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yezimvu zakhe futhi wazigcina kude nokuqhubeka nokushushiswa eSmirna. Wafingqa ukuthembela kwakhe kuNkulunkulu ngaphambi nje kokuba ashone: “Baba… ngiyakubusisa, ngokuba ungenze ngalufanelekela usuku nehora…” (Izenzo Zokufelwa, isahluko 14).