St Ignatius of Antioch
Ignatius of Antioch was the second bishop of that city, having been appointed to the position by the Apostle Peter. Early in the second century Ignatius was caught up in the Syrian persecution ordered by the Emperor Trajan and was sentenced to death in a Roman arena. He is considered an Apostolic Father; his collected letters provide an invaluable look into the heart and theology of the early church. He seems to have been the first to use the word “catholic” to refer to the Church and emphasized the virtues of martyrdom, begging his followers not to interfere with his scheduled death.
I am God’s wheat and shall be ground by the teeth of wild animals. I am writing to all the churches to let it be known that I will gladly die for God if only you do not stand in my way. I plead with you: show me no untimely kindness. Let me be food for the wild beasts, for they are my way to God. I am God’s wheat and shall be ground by their teeth so that I may become Christ’s pure bread. Pray to Christ for me that the animals will be the means of making me a sacrificial victim for God. No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire.