He was to become one of the most celebrated martyrs in the Church’s early history. After the paucity of information about Christian leaders during the first generations (save Paul), Ignatius is the first major figure to come clearly into view. His letters reveal a man whose mind and heart were passionately devoted to Christ. His intense and fervid piety, his affecting witness, his florid images, and the evocative language of his prose have endeared him to later generations.
