Ignatius of Antioch was an early Christian bishop and martyr who lived in the late first and early second centuries. A disciple of the Apostle John, he was a key figure in the development of early Church structure, emphasizing the role of the bishop as the head of the local church. He wrote a series of seven letters while being transported from Antioch to Rome to be executed. These letters, addressed to various Christian communities, are a remarkable source of information on early Christian belief and practice. 

In his writings, he warned against heresy and stressed the importance of unity around the Eucharist and the bishop. He famously embraced his impending martyrdom, referring to himself as "God's wheat, to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts" so that he might "become pure bread of Christ." He was martyred in the Colosseum around 108 AD.

I am the wheat of God, 
and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, 
that I may be found the pure bread of God. 
I long after the Lord, 
the Son of the true God and Father, Jesus Christ. 
Him I seek, who died for us and rose again. 
I am eager to die for the sake of Christ. 
My love has been crucified, 
and there is no fire in me that loves anything. 
But there is living water springing up in me, 
and it says to me inwardly: 
"Come to the Father."