ORIGEN

the 'Father' of the Early Church, was bom in 185 A.D., and died in 254. His father suffered martyrdom when O. was seventeen, and he had to support his mother and her six children. He lived the most rigidly ascetic life, and was so looked up to amongst all Christian communities that his bishop became very jealous of him, deprived him of his office, and charged him with heresy. He was eventually thrown into prison, and tortured to death.