Polycrates, Victor, and Irenaeus

The bishops of Asia, however, insisted that they must keep the custom handed down to them long before, and Polycrates led them. In the letter he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, he himself sets out the tradition that had come down to him in these words: [a]

“So we keep the day without tampering, neither adding nor taking away. For in Asia, too, great lights have fallen asleep, who will rise again on the day of the Lord’s coming, when he comes with glory from heaven and will seek out all the saints. Among them is Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who has fallen asleep in Hierapolis, with two of his daughters who grew old as virgins; and his other daughter, who lived her life in the Holy Spirit, rests at Ephesus. [b] And there is John, too, who leaned back on the Lord’s breast, who became a priest wearing the priestly plate, both a martyr and a teacher. He has fallen asleep at Ephesus. [d] And there is Polycarp in Smyrna, both bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, both bishop and martyr, from Eumenia, who has fallen asleep in Smyrna. [e] Why should I speak of Sagaris, bishop and martyr, who has fallen asleep in Laodicea? Or of the blessed Papirius, or of Melito the eunuch, who lived his whole life in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the visitation from heaven when he will rise from the dead? [f]

All these kept the fourteenth day of the Passover according to the gospel, never departing from it, but following the rule of faith. And I too, Polycrates, the least of you all, keep it according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have followed closely. Seven of my relatives were bishops, and I am the eighth. And my relatives always kept the day when the people put away the leaven. [g] So I, brothers, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, who have conferred with the brothers from all over the world, and have gone through all of holy Scripture, am not alarmed by threats. For those greater than I have said, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’” [h]

After this he writes about the bishops who were with him when he wrote and who shared his view, in these words: “I could mention the bishops who were present, whom you asked me to summon, and whom I did summon. If I were to write their names, they would make a great multitude. They know what a small man I am, and they gave their approval to the letter, knowing that I have not worn my gray hairs for nothing, but have always lived my life in Christ Jesus.” [i]

At this, Victor, who presided over the church of the Romans, attempted at one stroke to cut off the churches of all Asia, together with the neighboring churches, from the common unity, as holding wrong opinions. He publicly denounced them by letters, proclaiming all the brothers there wholly excommunicate. [j] But this did not please all the bishops. They urged him in return to set his mind on the things of peace, and of unity and love toward his neighbors. Their words are still extant, rebuking Victor rather sharply.

Among them was Irenaeus, who wrote in the name of the brothers in Gaul whom he led. He holds that the mystery of the Lord’s resurrection must be celebrated on the Lord’s day alone. But he fittingly urges Victor, at great length, not to cut off whole churches of God for keeping the tradition of an ancient custom. Among much else, he says in his own words:

“For the dispute is not only about the day, but also about the very form of the fast. Some think they ought to fast one day, others two, others still more; and some count their day as forty hours, day and night together. [k] Such variety among those who keep it did not begin in our own time, but long before, among those who came before us. They, it seems, did not hold to strict precision, and they handed on to later times a custom shaped by their own simplicity and plain ways. Yet all of them lived in peace none the less, and we live in peace with one another; and the disagreement about the fast confirms the harmony of the faith.”

To this he adds an account which I may fittingly quote here. It runs as follows: “Among them were the presbyters before Soter who presided over the church that you now lead — we mean Anicetus, Pius, Hyginus, Telesphorus and Xystus. They did not keep it themselves, nor did they allow those with them to keep it. Yet though they did not keep it, they were at peace none the less with those who came to them from the churches where it was kept, although keeping it was more directly opposed to those who did not keep it. [l] No one was ever cast out on account of this form. On the contrary, the presbyters before you, who did not keep it, sent the Eucharist to those from other churches who did. [n] And when the blessed Polycarp stayed at Rome in the time of Anicetus, and they had some small differences with each other about other things, they made peace at once, and did not care to quarrel over this point. For Anicetus could not persuade Polycarp not to keep it, since he had always kept it with John the disciple of our Lord and the other apostles with whom he had lived. Nor did Polycarp persuade Anicetus to keep it, for Anicetus said he must hold to the custom of the presbyters who were before him. Matters standing so, they held communion with each other, and in the church Anicetus yielded the Eucharist to Polycarp — out of respect, plainly. And they parted from each other in peace, and the whole church was at peace, both those who kept it and those who did not.”

So Irenaeus, who bore a name that fit him, a peacemaker in both name and character, urged and negotiated in this way for the peace of the churches. And he conferred by letter on the question that had been raised, writing suitably not only to Victor but also to a great many other leaders of churches. [o]