Abercius of Hierapolis

About Abercius of Hierapolis

Abercius was Bishop of Hierapolis in the 2nd century, known from his epitaph—one of early Christianity's most important inscriptions. The "Inscription of Abercius," composed by Abercius himself, cryptically describes his travels to Rome and the East, witnessing Christian unity, the Eucharist ("the Fish"), and the "Queen" (Church or Mary). The inscription provides evidence for early Christian belief in the Eucharist, veneration of martyrs, and the Church's universality. Rediscovered in 1883, it confirms Christian practices described in later sources actually existed in the 2nd century. Abercius represents the continuity between apostolic and later Church.