Toward the end of the first century, Ignatius, bishop ofAntioch was found guilty of refusing to burn incense to the Roman gods. and he was sentenced to be bought to Rome where he would be thrown to the lions.
Put in the care of a platoon of soldiers who were retuning to Rome after service in the East. with them he was brought on a slow boat that stopped in every port in Asia Minor. And afterwards. he wrote
appreciation letters to seven groups that welcomed him along the way.
Writing ahead to the Christians in Rome, he begged them not to interfere with his being thrown to the lions. H wanted to be ground into wheat worthy of being one with Christ.