The Martyrdom of Polycarp

When he had said this amen and finished his prayer, those who were appointed for the task lit the fire. As the flames blazed with great fury, we, who were given the opportunity to witness it, saw a great miracle and have been preserved so that we could report to others what happened then. The fire, shaping itself into an arch like the sail of a ship filled with wind, surrounded the body of the martyr in a circle. He appeared within it not like burned flesh, but like bread that is baked, or like gold and silver glowing in a furnace. Moreover, we perceived such a sweet odor coming from the pile, as if frankincense or some precious spices had been burning there.