St. Irenaeus, Apologist, fought heretics, a doctor of the church, and leading Christian theologian of the 2nd century

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St. Irenaeus, an apologist, fought heretics, is  a doctor of the church, a leading Christian theologian of the 2nd century, author of the first Catholic Catechism, Champion of the Incarnation, possibly martyred is
Patron Saint of those who work for the unity of the Eastern and Western Churches, Invoked against Christological heresies, and by apologists and catechists.

Irenaeus is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and in the ancient Churches of the Christian East: the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, including the Assyrian Church of the East. The Latin Catholic Church celebrates his memorial on 28 June.
Pope Francis declared Irenaeus the 37th Doctor of the Church on 21 January 2022

Irenaeus was was born around AD 130, Asia Minor—died c. 200/203, probably Lyon. According to Eusebius, who wrote a history of the church in the 4th century, Irenaeus, prior to his becoming bishop, had served as a missionary to southern Gaul and as a peacemaker among the churches of Asia Minor that had been disturbed by heresy. As bishop of Lyons he was especially concerned with the Gnostics, such as Valentinus, who took their name from the Greek word for “knowledge.” Claiming access to secret knowledge imparted by Jesus to only a few disciples, their teaching was attracting and confusing many Christians. After thoroughly investigating the various Gnostic sects and their “secret,” Irenaeus showed to what logical conclusions their tenets led. These he contrasted with the teaching of the apostles and the text of Holy Scripture, giving us, in five books, a system of theology of great importance to subsequent times. Moreover, his work, widely used and translated into Latin and Armenian, gradually ended the influence of the Gnostics. Offereing three pillars of orthodoxy: the scriptures, the tradition handed down from the apostles, and the teaching of the apostles' successors. He is the earliest surviving witness to regard all four of the now-canonical gospels as essential.

For the glory of God is a man fully alive; and the life of man consists in beholding God. For if the manifestation of God, which is made by means of the creation, affords life to all living in the earth, much more does that revelation of the Father which comes through the Word, give life to those who see God. ~Saint Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.20.7

His work Adversus haereses (Against Heresies), written about 180, was a refutation of gnosticism. In the course of his writings, Irenaeus advanced the development of an authoritative canon of Scriptures, the creed, and the authority of the episcopal office.

In a 2007 General Audience  Pope Benedict XVI  recalled  ho  this early Church Father, saint Irenaeus “refuted the Gnostic dualism and pessimism which debased corporeal realities. He decisively claimed the original holiness of matter, of the body, of the flesh no less than of the spirit. But his work went far beyond the confutation of heresy: in fact, one can say that he emerges as the first great Church theologian who created systematic theology; he himself speaks of the system of theology, that is, of the internal coherence of all faith.”

As Chad Bird writes: "Just imagine that: how would you like to study under a teacher who himself had been a student of the disciple whom Jesus loved? Sign me up! Irenaeus had plenty of opportunities to take what he had learned, from Polycarp and others, and put them into practice. Though born in Smyrna (modern-day Turkey), he ended up in the Roman province of Gaul, as part of the Christian community there. While he was away on church business in Rome, persecution against believers broke out back home, the bishop died, and upon Irenaeus’ return, he took his place. For the next 20+ years, Irenaeus was bishop and missionary in that region. He died, possibly by martyrdom, around AD 200."



Prayer: Saint Irenaeus, you were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and you allowed that inspiration to guide you in your pastoral ministry, in which you led the Church away from error and into a deeper understanding of the Truth. Please pray for me, that I will never deviate from the truths handed down throughout the ages, beginning with the Scriptures and continuing today. May I always remain faithful as you were faithful so that I will come to a full knowledge of the full Truth given to us by God. Saint Irenaeus, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.