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I recall hearing that one of the early Church Fathers believed that the young boy in Matt 18:2 grew up to become St. Ignatius of Antioch.
It's not too difficult to understand how having that experience (v. 1-10) in youth could affect the rest of one's life:
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"See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that
their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."
(Matt. 18:10)
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This October 17th date must be the Newchurch newfangled date, pulled out of a hat like a magician's rabbit. It has nothing to do with any of the historical dates associated with St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch. I heard Brother Francis of the St. Benedict Center say, that the only possible reason (for changing so many dates and feast days on the traditional calendar) could have been to instigate confusion.
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In the Roman Martyrology, there are 3 dates relative to this saint,
December 20th, the date of his martyrdom,
December 17th, the translation day of his relics, and
February 1st, the day his feast has been observed for many centuries. Curiously, that puts his feast, which was moved from December 20th in Advent (the vigil of the Apostle Thomas, and very close to Christmas Day) to a later day (Feb. 1) which is the very last day still within the season of Christmas (which ends on Candlemas, Feb.2).
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For December 20th we read: "In the same city (Rome), the martyrdom of St. Ignatius, bishop and martyr. He was the third (bishop of Antioch) after St. Peter the Apostle to rule the church of Antioch, and in the persecution of Trajan was condemned to the beats. By order of Trajan he was sent to Rome in fetters, and there tortured and afflicted with the most cruel torments in the midst of the assembled Senate. Finally he was cast to the lions, and being round by their teeth became a sacrifice for Christ. His feast is observed on the 1st of February."
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For February 1st, we read: "St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch and martyr, who gloriously suffered martyrdom on the 20th of December."
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For December 17th, we read: "...Also, the translation of St. Ignatius, bishop and martyr, who, the third after the blessed Apostle Peter, governed the Church of Antioch. His body was taken from Rome, where he had suffered martyrdom under Trajan on the 20th of December, and deposited in the church cemetery near the Gate of Daphne at Antioch. St. John Chrysostom, on that solemn occasion, preached the sermon to the people. Afterwards his relics were carried back to Rome and placed with the highest reverence in the church of St. Clement, together with the body of that blessed pope and martyr."
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Reading this, it crossed my mind, "when was the last time the 'greatest reverence' was on display in Rome, for something
other than honoring false religions, Sodomites, environmentalism, or wild animals in their natural habitats?"