A Martyr's Company

Τί δὲ καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἔκδοτον δέδωκα τῷ θανάτῳ, πρὸς πῦρ, πρὸς μάχαιραν, πρὸς θηρία; ἀλλ’ ἐγγυς μαχαίρας ἐγγὺς θεοῦ, μεταξὺ θηρίων μεταξὺ Θεοῦ· μόνον ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς τὸ συμπαθεῖν αὐτῷ πάντα ὑπομένω, αὐτοῦ με ἐνδυναμοῦντος τοῦ τελείου ἀνθρώπου.   Ἅγιος Ἰγνάτιος Ἀντιοχείας, Ἐπιστολή Προς Σμύρναιοις

And why have I also given myself over to death, to fire, to the sword, to wild beasts? To be near the sword is to be near to God; he who is in the company of wild beasts is in company with God; provided only I undergo all this in the name of Jesus Christ that I may suffer  with Him, 1 He the perfect man strengthening me. 2 Saint Ignatius of Antioch, from the Letter to the Smyrneans 1 Rom 8:17 2 Phil 4:13