St. Polycarp was the Christian bishop of Smyrna in the second century AD. He was taught by the Apostle John himself, therefore representing the next generation of Christians after the Apostles. He in turn taught St. Irenaeus who would become bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul (modern-day Lyon in France).

In 155 AD, Polycarp was martyred in the arena at Smyrna by the Roman authorities.

This edition in the St. Polycarp Church Fathers Series contains St. Polycarp’s Epistle to the Philippians and the account of his death, The Martyrdom of Polycarp, along with notes and commentary by Rev. Aaron Simms.

About the Editor

Rev. Aaron Simms is a writer specializing in Christian theology, history and classical studies. He is also a pastor in The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, a member of the American Academy of Religion, and the founder of St. Polycarp Publishing House. His academic studies include international relations, economics, psychology, classical history, and theology at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Georgia), Troy University (Troy, Alabama), and Concordia Seminary (St. Louis, Missouri). His blog is at aaronsimms.com