St. Irenaeus of Lyons

Double (1955 Calendar): June 28
III Class (1962 Calendar): July 3
Memorial (1969 Calendar): June 28

St Irenaeus of Lyons, martyr, was born around c. 130 AD in Asia Minor and raised as a Christian. He was a student of St. Saint Polycarp of Smyrna. In 177 AD, St. Irenaeus became a priest and eventually became the second Bishop of Lyons following the martyrdom of Saint Pothinus.

St. Irenaeus worked intensely to counter to claims of Gnosticism by basing his arguments on the Gospel of St. John. He also emphasized the unity of the Old and New Testaments, and of Christ's human and divine nature. His most well-known work is "Against Heresies". For his work, St. Irenaeus was murdered for the faith in 202 AD in Lyons, France. In 1562, Calvinists destroyed his relics and tomb. He is a Father of the Church.

Prayer by St. Irenaeus:

Father, give perfection to beginners, understanding to the little ones, and help to those who are running their course. Give sorrow to the negligent, fervor to the lukewarm, and a good consummation to the perfect.

Writing:

"For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God."