IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH

Catholic. Bishop. Saint. Tradition tells us that he was born c. 50 and died c. 107/8. He was a disciple of St. John, the man at the crucifixion who became bishop of Antioch, Syria, and was succeeded by Ignatius, which means ardent, first man to use the word catholic. “It’s in your Nicene Creed.”

He wears a tunic and early form of a scapular. The word scapular is from the Latin scapula, meaning shoulder blade. It is a garment first designed by monks during the Middle Ages as protective covering to be worn over their clothing when they did manual labor, such as in the fields or outside, and is still worn today by many Catholics, traditional monks, priests, nuns, and lay people near or on the flesh.