smyrna

The Epistle of the Church at Smyrna goes by several names including The Martyrdom of Polycarp and The Letter of the Smyrneans.  John, the last of the Twelve Apostles, ordained Polycarp bishop of Smyrna.  Shortly after Polycarp was martyred for his beliefs at the age of 86-years-old, this "Christian Martyrology" was written, probably sometime between

Jesus told John to “write what you have seen, what is now, and what will take place later”. John began by penning seven letters to seven early Christian churches. To the church at Ephesus, he wrote: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden