This account of the martyrdom of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, which was written by Ignatius's compatriots Philo of Cilicia and Rheus Agathopus who were eyewitnesses of his death, is testament to the Bishop's unwavering faith and fearless commitment to Jesus Christ. According to Tradition, the Saint drew courage by repeating the name of Jesus Christ – whom he claimed to carry with him by the etching of his name, through ceaseless prayer, on his heart. It is said that the lions that devoured the Saint in the Roman Colosseum left his heart untouched, revealing a golden inscription of the name Jesus Christ upon it. In honor of the saints courageous martyrdom, the bones of Saint Ignatius were gathered and preserved and now rest in the Basilica di San Clemente in Rome.
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