Ignatius of Antioch was an early Christian bishop and theologian who served as the Patriarch of Antioch during the late 1st or early 2nd century. Also known as Theophorus, he is recognized as one of the most significant Apostolic Fathers. While being transported to Rome to face execution, he composed several letters that remain vital sources for early Christian theology, specifically regarding the role of bishops, the sacraments, and ecclesiology. He is honored as a hieromartyr for his death in Rome under the reign of Trajan.