Enciclopedia Cattolica Vol. IX, 1952 Church Fathers Fathers and ecclesiastical writers up to the end of the 8th century, anonymous works

Polycrates of Ephesus

POLICRATE DI EFESO

By Erik Peterson

Italian original Cite

Also known as: Saint Polycrates, Policrates; Latin: Polycrates Ephesinus

POLYCRATES OF EPHESUS. - In a letter of reply to Pope Victor (189-99) and to the Church of Rome, he defended the Quartodeciman tradition of the Church in Asia Minor. The defense is based on the fact that the Asiatic observance is attested by apostles (Philip, John), bishop-martyrs and charismatics (the virgin daughters of Philip and the "eunuch" Melito). To the list of these ten witnesses is added the mention of their tombs.

It may be supposed that Rome had requested, in legal form, a certain number of witnesses for the veracity of the apostolic tradition in Asia Minor and a large number of adherents among the bishops. It is clear that Victor in his previous letter had spoken, in connection with the Roman tradition, of the tombs of the Apostles at Rome. What is surprising in P.'s reply is the repeated allusion to the second coming of Christ. Perhaps behind this formulation hides a veiled threat, namely that the persons he indicates will at the Last Judgment be witnesses for the prosecution against the representatives of the opposing tradition. Thus would be explained the embitterment of the discussion afterward. Also interesting in P.'s epistle is his statement that, besides himself, seven other members of his family had belonged to the episcopate and observed the Asiatic usage.

Bibliography2 works

BIBL.: the extracts from P.'s letter in Eusebius, Hist. ecl., V, 24, 2-8. On the mention of the apostolic tombs in Victor's letter, v. H. Dieckmann, in Zeitschrift für kath. Theol., 45 (1921), p. 627; A. Harnack, Ecclesia Petri propinqua, in Sitzungsber. d. Berliner Akademie, 1927, p. 141. The mention of the tombs stood in the service of the legal procedure. The possession of the object guarantees the authenticity of the tradition, against W. Köhler, Omnis Ecclesia Petri propinqua, Heidelberg 1908, passim.

Erik Peterson

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By Erik Peterson

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Translated from the Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IX (1952), coll. 1672–1673.

More by Erik Peterson: Polycarp, Saint · Pomerius, Julianus · Pleroma (ΠΛΉΡΩΜΑ) · Pistis Sophia · Pionius

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Chicago

Peterson, Erik. “Policrate di Efeso.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IX, coll. 1672–1673. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1952. https://azioneromana.com/article/policrate-di-efeso.

MLA

Peterson, Erik. “Policrate di Efeso.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IX, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1952, coll. 1672–1673. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/policrate-di-efeso.

BibTeX

@incollection{ec9_policrate_di_efeso,
  author    = {Peterson, Erik},
  title     = {Policrate di Efeso},
  booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
  volume    = {IX},
  pages     = {1672--1673},
  note      = {Cited by column},
  publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
  address   = {Città del Vaticano},
  year      = {1952},
  url       = {https://azioneromana.com/article/policrate-di-efeso}
}

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