THE FEAST OF ST. IRENAEUS OF LYON (JUNE 28TH)
A Contemporary Western Orthodox Icon of St. Irenaeus of Lyon Edited by Bp. Joseph ( Ancient Church of the West ) Today, we celebrate the holy St. Irenaeus of Lyons (AD 130-202), who was bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, which is present-day Lyons, France. He was a disciple of Polycarp of Smyrna, who himself was a disciple of the Apostle John the Theologian. While still a young man, Irenaeus moved west to Lyons in southern France. In 177, Pothinus, the bishop of Gaul, sent him to Rome on a mission. During his absence, persecution broke out in Gaul, resulting in the deaths of most of the senior clergy in the Church there. When Irenaeus returned to Lyon, he was elected bishop by those who survived and consecrated by the old bishops, themselves descendent from the first generation of disciples of the Holy Apostles. St. Irenaeus’ principal work is called “The Refutation of Heresies,” which was a series of books that defends Orthodox Christianity against the false form of Christi...
