170-235

     A disciple of the Apostle St. John the Theologian was the holy Martyr Polycarp, whose disciple was St. Irenaeus of Lyons (140-202 A.D.); in turn, a disciple of St. Irenaeus was St. Hippolytus, born in 170 A.D. He grew to maturity in Rome, where he was ordained a priest by the then Bishop of that city, Pope Victor, and developed into a man of profound spirituality, strict morals, and Orthodox doctrine–exactly the qualities most needed by the Christians of Rome during what was for them a time of laxity in morals and a time when strange new teachings, not of Christ, were being introduced to the faithful. St. Hippolytus wrote a book refuting these teachings, showing that they were all inspired (even as heresies are today) by pagan religions, astrology, and magic. He suffered martyrdom during the persecution of the Emperor Maximin, in the year 235.

    St. Hippolytus was one of the last Western Church Fathers to write in Greek, and his works–some of which have been lost-were devoted to commentaries on the Holy Scriptures, refutations of heresy, and numerous doctrinal matters. Among those works which have survived or been recovered is a treatise on Antichrist, which gives the most thorough discussion of this subject in Patristic literature. Another one of his works which has come down to us is the Apostolic Tradition, which tells how bishops, priests, and deacons are to be ordained, and also speaks of the other Sacraments and many, other clearly recognizable elements of the Orthodox way of life as it is still lived today. For example, one section of this work speaks of the times of prayer during the day (which correspond to the Orthodox prayer services of the First, Third, Sixth, and Ninth Hours and Nocturnes), and the use of the Sign of the Cross: 

    “All the faithful, men and women, on rising from sleep in the morning should Wash their hands and pray to God before they undertake any sort of work; then they may proceed to their work …. If you are at home, pray and give praises to God at the third hour. If you are somewhere else at that time pray to God in your heart , for that is the hour at which Christ was seen to be fastened to the tree …. Similarly pray at the sixth hour, too. For when Christ had been fastened to the wood of the Cross, the day was cut off and there came a great darkness …. One should also offer extended prayer and blessing at the ninth hour, in imitation of the way the souls of the just bless God Who does not lie but Who remembered His saints and sent His Word to enlighten them. For at that hour Christ was pierced in the side, poured forth water and blood, and made light shine on the remainder of the day as He brought it to its evening. Thus, at the moment when He was about to fall asleep He created the start of a new day and thus supplied an image of His Resurrection.

    “Pray before your body takes rest on your bed …. If you are tempted, make the Sign (of the Cross) on your forehead reverently · ..for this is a known and tested weapon against the Devil.”