The early Christians

All Christians today look up to the original Christians in the New Testament, such as Peter and Paul, as saints and examples to be imitated. But what about those Christian luminaries in the late first and early to mid second centuries who were in the forefront in defending the Gospel and their fellow Christians from persecution? Such great Christian leaders as St. Clement of Rome and St. Ignatius of Antioch and St. Polycarp of Smyrna; and the great apologist St. Justin the Martyr, have left the Church their writings in order to preserve her faith in the midst of heresy and apostasy. Most of these early Christians died for their faith, martyred by the Romans for being simply Christian. How many of us today can truly say that we would have the courage they did to face death with such triumph and zeal?

Read for yourself what these great defenders of Orthodox Christianity had to say about the faith of Christ and the Apostles! Just click on the links below:

St. Clement to the Corinthians

St. Ignatius to:
the Ephesians
the Magnesians
the Trallians
the Romans
the Philadelphians
the Smyrnaeans
St. Polycarp

St. Polycarp to the Philippians

St. Justin the Martyr's 1st Apology
St. Justin the Martyr's 2nd Apology
St. Justin the Martyr's dialogue with Trypho a Jew

After reading their various works to determine whether they were faithful to the Apostolic teaching entrusted to them; you can then read the following accounts about their glorious martyrdoms to see how they faced death as conquerors!

The martyrdom of St. Igantius
The martyrdom of St. Polycarp
The martyrdom of St. Justin

They did not fear death, because they knew that "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death,and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!" Paschal Vespers hymn
"Death was made flesh and He killed it!" ibid.