October 17 -- Ignatius of Antioch

A source tells me that Ignatius of Antioch was the successor Antioch. If Ignatius was born around AD 50 and Peter was crucified in AD 64, then either there was a gap in Apostolic leadership, or the source is in error, or Ignatius was an exceptionally charismatic youth. Anyway, Ignatius was plainly Bishop of Antioch, when at age 57 he was arrested on the charge of Christianity and sent to Rome to be killed by beasts in the arena. We know this because he wrote letters to other Christian leaders en route to his execution. The guards who ignored (or perhaps abetted) his pen, paper, and ink are not known to us as saints, but surely they must have been blessed by Ignatius and received their reward in Heaven. Yeah, I know that they might have done something more, like perhaps letting him go, converting, etc, but not everyone is cut out for martyrdom. Small acts of kindness and toleration within a rotten system are important -- the Divine Plan is unknowable, but we must do what we can within it, right?