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Where he was born is unknown, but for sure, he was martyred at Rome in c. 108. What is known about his life and ideas comes from the seven letters he wrote to the Christian communities of Asia Minor, on his way to Rome to be executed there. He was one of the earliest bishops, and probably the second bishop of Antioch. He stopped at Smyrna on his way and had chance to meet St. Polycarp. The first four of his letters were addressed to the Christians of Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles and Rome, then of Lystra, and before crossing over into Europe, to the Christians at Philadelphia, Smyrnaand the last one, a farewell letter to the St. Polycarp. Ignatius believed that he possessed the Holy Spirit's Gift of Prophecy, though he considered himself lower in rank than the Apostles. His enthusiastic and strong will to be a martyr came true, before he was thrown onto the beasts at Coliseum, he begged the Christians of Rome not to move to prevent his execution. His strong argument based on that there should be only one bishop for each congregation to prevent the splits in the church and to make sure that the correct and original beliefs were preserved.
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