St. Irenaeus

 Day 9 of our November Saints and for the letter 'I' we have St. Irenaeus. Irenaeus was born about 125-130 AD probably in Smyrna in Asia Minor (now Turkey). He was brought up in a Christian family in an area where Christians were numerous and the memory of the Apostles was still cherished. He was a disciple of St. Polycarp, who is thought to have known and learned from John the Apostle. 

Irenaeus went to Gaul (present day France) to serve as a priest in the city of Lyon. During his time there, there was a terrible persecution and many of the clergy were imprisoned for the faith. They sent Irenaeus to Rome with a letter to the Pope concerning the heresy of Montanism. While he was in Rome, the Bishop of Lyon was martyred. He returned to Lyon to become the second Bishop of that city. As Bishop, he divided his energies between the duties of a Pastor and those of a Missionary. 

What Irenaeus is known for his writings against Gnosticism, the most famous is his book Against Heresies. In this treatise, he puts forth the doctrines of various sects and contrasts them with the teaching of the Apostles. Irenaeus wrote in Greek, but his work was quickly translated into Latin and widely circulated. 

The date of his death is unknown, but it was likely close to the end of the second century or the beginning of the third. He was buried in a crypt under the altar of the church of St. John in Lyon, which was later renamed St. Irenaeus in his honor. Unfortunately, his tomb was destroyed in 1562 by the Huguenots and his relics were either destroyed or lost. 

In the Roman Church and the Anglican Communion, his feast is celebrated on June 28. In the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Church, it is celebrated on August 23.