(If any of the references don’t make sense, do some fascinating research & learn about these giants of our Faith! Email me if you have Q’s)

ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH (ca50-ca110)
Brought to Rome’s arena, he was all bound up in fetters,
On the way he zealously preached Christ in seven letters,
Calling Euch’rist medicine for everlasting life,
He became “pure bread of Christ” for lions in his strife!
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ST. JUSTIN MARTYR (ca100-ca165)
“Apology” was written in response to persecution,
It argued Mother Church to be a peaceful institution,
The pagan gods were “demons” (no he wasn’t metaphor’cal),
For Christ fulfilled- as “Logos”- every ancient bible or’cle!
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ST. IRENAEUS OF LYONS (ca120-ca202)
In “Countering the Heresies” he truly laid the smack down,
Thus followers of gnostic Valentinus surely did frown,
He taught Christ as the “second Adam” and as God-man very,
His “Mary-Eve” typology inspires love for Mary!
For Valentinus said salvation lies in secret “gnosis”,
But Irenaeus taught that Gnosticism was atrocious,
His famous teaching (ready?) “Anakephalaiosis”:
Christ Jesus recapitulated ALL- and that’s TRUE GNOSIS!
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TERTULLIAN OF CARTHAGE (ca160-ca220)
Tertullian did give up false and harmful paganism,
A Cath’lic he became but then accepted Montanism,
He said that blood of martyrs is the seed for Holy Church,
His view of Christ’s two natures is quite helpful for research!
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ST. CYPRIAN OF CARTHAGE (d.258)
St. Cyprian said don’t delay, get baptized super quickly,
The Eucharist makes present Jesus’ sacrifice of Calv’ry,
If Holy Church is not your Mother, God is not your Father,
If you’re not with an apostolic bishop, just don’t bother!
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ORIGEN OF ALEXANDRIA (ca185-ca254)
Now Origen sought martyrdom but mom emptied his dresser;
The leader of two schools and a very smart professor;
His speculations weird may make you think him a regressor,
But later tortured for his faith, he died a brave confessor!
Origen, says St. Jerome, was father to Ar’ia’nism,
(Arius was no church father but fomented schism)
Origen said there’s no time when Christ did not exist,
Think of him as heretic? I ask: cease and desist!
For Origen was very influential and prolific,
His work named “De Principi’is” is really just terrific,
And commentaries on the Bible by him do abound,
With sanctifying content that’s doctrinally quite sound!