Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, Martyr, c.107 (Lesser Festival)
Ignatius was born probably in Syria in about the year ad35 and was either the second or third Bishop of Antioch, the third largest city in the Roman Empire. Nothing is known of his life except his final journey under armed escort to Rome, where he was martyred around the year 107. In the course of this journey, he met Polycarp in Smyrna, and wrote a number of letters to various Christian congregations which are among the greatest treasures of the primitive Church. In the face of persecution he appealed to his fellow Christians to maintain unity with their bishop at all costs. His letters reveal his passionate commitment to Christ, and how he longed ‘to imitate the passion of my God’.
Note: the following are simply a compilation of ideas from various sources – don’t feel you need to use all of them each day! (List of sources at the bottom of the post).
Daily Readings (Morning Prayer)
- Psalms 120, 121, 122
- 2 Kings 20
- Philippians 4.2–end
In our Benefice (Week 4):
- Winchester Road
- Blackhall Road
In our Benefice (Week 4):
- St Giles’ and St Margaret’s Churches
- For those involved in helping with services tomorrow
- For the Ministry Team & Benefice Manager
- For all those with children, young people and families
In our Diocese: The Brickhills and Stoke Hammond, Bucks: Jeremy Hopkinson – Licensed Lay Minister. Praying for the four parishes during the vacancy and that the Holy Spirit will be at work guiding the right person to come as Rector to lead our benefice. A prayer for Stoke Hammond as they come to the date of their Patronal Festival, 18 October, St Luke’s Day.
Bow Bricknell CE Primary School, High Ash CE Primary School.
Christian Aid: Pray for Christian Aid’s work in resourcing UK churches to speak up and speak out about our work (find out more).
Cycle of Intercession: Saturday (from Common Worship: Daily Prayer)
- Our homes, families, friends and all whom we love
- Those whose time is spent caring for others
- Those who are close to death
- Those who have lost hope
- The worship of the Church
Collect for St Ignatius:
Feed us, O Lord, with the living bread
and make us drink deep of the cup of salvation
that, following the teaching of your bishop Ignatius
and rejoicing in the faith
with which he embraced a martyr’s death,
we may be nourished for that eternal life
for which he longed;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
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List of sources:
- Benefice Prayer Diary
- Oxford Diocese Prayer Diary
- Christian Aid Prayer Diary
- Calendar, Lectionary, Collects and Cycle of Intercession from Common Worship
- Biographies from Exciting Holiness