Polycrat of Éphèse

See also: Polycrate

Polycrate is bishop of Éphèse (minor Asia) at the end of the 2nd century.

It had to be born towards 130 since, under the Roman pontificate of Victor whom one generally locates towards 189/199, it says to us that it has sixty-five years. Its family was to already be Christian for a certain time, because he affirms that he is the eighth bishop who in is resulting.

We know it by the letter which it wrote for the pope Victor at the time of the Pascale quarrel, to reaffirm with force the will of the “Quartodécimans” nothing to change with their traditions.

With the favor of the great prestige whose the Church enjoys Rome at that time, Victor would have liked to force all Christendom to follow the Western use which forces to celebrate Resurrection one Sunday. Its initiative, for which it is based on the apostolic tradition, calls meetings of bishops a little everywhere in the East: with Jerusalem around Narcisse and of Theophilus de Césarée, into the Bridge around Palmas, with Corinth around the bishop Bachylle, into the Osroène whose bishops undoubtedly meet in Édesse… All these synods reject the call of Victor and confirm the Eastern tradition, heiress of Jewish Passover, which wants that Easter is celebrated the fourteenth day of the moon, whatever this day in the week.

Polycrat - to which its seat johannic, its age or its seniority must give a particular prestige - was charged by Victor with assembling the bishops of Asia Mineure. At the conclusion of the meeting, those charge it in their turn with answering Victor on their behalf.

Eusèbe preserved us the essence of this letter which had to be largely widespread in the East. Polycrat takes it top. He ignores Victor and addresses himself to the “brothers” of the Church of Rome. He points out the “large stars” which rest in Asia and “will ressusciteront at the day of the parousy of the Lord when he comes from the skies with glory and seeks all the saints”: the apostle Philippe and his two daughters with Hiérapolis, holy Jean with Éphèse even - one will note while passing that Polycrate gives us here one of oldest testimonys of the burial of Jean with Éphèse - the martyrs Polycarpe and Thraséas of Smyrna, Sagaris the martyr of Laodicée and Méliton de Sardes “which lived entirely in the Holy Spirit”… All these saints men “kept the fourteenth day… while conforming to the rule of the faith”. Itself, Polycrate, born from a family which counted already seven bishops before him, always saw her parents making in the same way.

“For me thus, brothers, I have sixty-five years in the Lord, I was in relation to the brothers of the whole world, I traversed all the Holy Scripture; I am not frightened by those which seek to move me, because of larger than me said: It is to better obey God that with the men.”

He neglects to give the name of all the bishops (“very many”) who approve his letter with him, Polycrate, which has the grey hair and which always lived in Christ.

It is known that Victor, furious, wanted to excommunicate all East. In Occident even, bishops - of which Irenee of Lyon - tried to calm it and call upon the good sense and charity. In vain, it seems. With died of Victor, into 198 or 199, the problem remained whole and the Quartodécimans faithful to their tradition.

Source

• Eusèbe, ecclesiastical History , V, 23-24.