Orthodox Outlet for Dogmatic Enquiries Biographies

 

Hieromartyr Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, France

(†202)

Source: http://www.abbamoses.com/months/august.html

 

 

A sincere attempt is being made with this new series by our website, to now acquaint our readers with the lives of the Orthodox Saints and Martyrs of the original One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of our Lord, who, like some of the Orthodox Saints of the British Isles, lived and propagated the Faith in the Western territories of the European Continent during the first millennium of Christianity and prior to the Great Schism of 1054 AD.

 

Saint Irenaeus was born in Asia Minor around the year 120, and was a disciple of Saint Polycarp, who was in turn a disciple of St John the Evangelist.

He succeeded the martyred St Pothinus as Bishop of Lyons in Gaul (now France).

He produced many writings contesting not only against paganism but against Gnostic heresies that were then troubling the Church.

When Victor, Bishop of Rome, planned to excommunicate the Christians of Asia Minor for celebrating Pascha on a different date than the Church of Rome, Irenaeus persuaded him to stay his hand and maintain unity and peace in the Church. (This was before the date of Pascha had been set by the Ecumenical Councils).

By his efforts Lyons became for centuries a center and bastion of Orthodoxy in the West.


 

Article published in English on: 14-5-2010.

Last update: 14-5-2010.

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