In Ignatius’ time the nicolaitan hell hole you call the catholic church didn’t exist.
There was no pagan pope thugging his way to riches yet.
There was no satanic basilica in Rome yet.
The true believers still worshiped in the manner of the diciples of Yeshua, on the Sabbath and keeping all of Yehova’s fiests in accordance with the Biblical Aviv Barley based calendar.
Life was good!
The Catholic Church started when Jesus said “you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church”. He didn’t say “churches”. One church, for all time. Deal with it. It’s fact.