De sancto Irenaeo archipraesule
The Mission of Irenaeus
Saint Irenaeus is sent by Polycarp to Lyon to preach the Gospel, facing the growing hostility of the Roman Empire.
Saint Polycarp, a disciple of the blessed John the Evangelist and a man of great zeal, heard that Emperor Antoninus intended to wipe out the Christian name from the provinces of Gaul. He learned that Saint Pothinus, the Bishop of Lyon, and all the Christians with him, had been tortured and had ascended to heaven through the palm of martyrdom. Consequently, Polycarp sent Saint Irenaeus—a priest of whom many magnificent things are recorded in church history—from his own side to the city of Lyon, guided by an angel, to comfort the Christians hiding in various places and to bring a multitude of Gentiles to Jesus Christ through his preaching. Saint Irenaeus arrived in the noble city of Lyon with Zacharias the deacon and two other clerics as his companions, and through his virtues, signs, and preaching, the entire city soon believed in Jesus Christ our Lord. Where he could not go himself, he sent his letters, and through them, with Christ’s help, a multitude of Gentiles were converted. The devil’s cunning groaned at these developments. The devil entered the old Emperor Severus, and burning with a desire for the persecution of Christians, he sent out his letters to places he himself could not go, with the command that Christians who would not sacrifice to idols should die by various torments. Since the Caesar was in the farthest reaches of Gaul at that time, Saint Irenaeus received the grace of the pontificate from the Roman Pope for Lyon, and the Christians began to build a church with joy. But the most wicked Caesar, hearing that that blessed city was renouncing its ceremonies, chose the fiercest gladiators and, coming from all sides, ordered the city to be surrounded, saying: 'Run to the gates, surround the houses, and I command that whoever among them does not sacrifice shall end his life by the sword.'
The Angelic Call to Martyrdom
An angel appears to Irenaeus to announce his impending martyrdom and instructs him to prepare his flock for the trial.
But the mercy of Christ sent an angel ahead to Saint Irenaeus to announce what was to come. In the middle of the night, the angel of the Lord spoke to him face to face, while Zacharias the priest listened, and said: 'Holy Irenaeus, Christ our Lord invites you, after your many labors with your people, to the heavenly kingdom through the crown of martyrdom. The patriarchs and prophets await you with your soldiers; the choir of the apostles, whose preaching has gone out into this glorious city, rejoices over you; the angels stand before the tribunal of Christ, proclaiming your constancy.' The angel added: 'Saint Mary gives you thanks, along with the holy virgins whose virginity you proclaim among the peoples, for your work.' And the army of martyrs asks that you be joined to the hosts of paradise with these soldiers whom you made partners in your passion; in glory, the banquet halls adorned with various honors await you, and your predecessor, Saint Pothinus, is already placed in the courts of his Lord. Strengthen the brothers, then, and don't fear the one who kills the body but cannot kill the soul; however, keep Zacharias and the two deacons, who are hiding in various places, safe for a little while, so that just as you preached and acted after the blessed Photinus, he too may later strengthen the brothers in Christ, for whom the triumph of a similar crown awaits, and who will lay your body to rest in the tomb. Hearing this, Saint Irenaeus said: 'I give thanks to you, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, eternal light, splendor of justice, fount and origin of mercy, that you have deigned to gladden me in this way through your angel. Grant this people of yours, Lord God, such constancy that no one may turn away from your confession, but that, strengthened by your power, they may attain the prize of your promise.'
The Crown of Glory
Irenaeus and his community remain steadfast in their faith, suffering martyrdom together and receiving their heavenly reward.
And when the prayer was finished, he began to strengthen the brothers, whose hearts the Holy Spirit so filled that no one strayed from the right path, but each one strengthened the other. Once the sentence was passed, the most happy city was surrounded by soldiers; brother brought brother, father brought son, and mother brought daughter for Christ the Lord, and people of every sex, condition, and age received the highest crown of martyrdom. The tyrant, having summoned Irenaeus with all the people, said: 'Either sacrifice to our gods and adore the idol in this place, and you will live with your people, or choose death by adoring the cross.' When the people were warned again, he ran to the cross with the people, and the devil's agents sent that whole holy company to heaven through the palm of martyrdom; streams of precious blood ran through the streets. They tormented Saint Irenaeus with such cruelty that it can hardly be told, and in the midst of the torments themselves, he gave up his happy soul while praising God. He was buried by the blessed Zacharias in a very hidden crypt. On the seventh day after his passion, he appeared to Saint Polycarp with a multitude of martyrs, saying to him: 'Recognize the son whom you sent forth, holy father; behold, we have received the promise which the King of heaven and earth, who is God blessed forever and ever, promised to us. Amen.' This glorious martyr indeed wrote brilliant volumes for the construction and edification of our holy mother the Church: five books against the Gentiles on discipline and against heresies, to Blastus on schism, on the monarchy of God, on the Ogdoad, on the Pasch to Pope Victor, on apostolic preaching, and many others. He was crowned, however, on the fourth of the Kalends. July, under Marcus Antoninus, in the year of salvation 175.
Read the original Latin
Sanctus Policarpus discipulus beati Johannis evangelistae, zelator maximus audiens, quod Antoninus de Galliarum provinciis nomen cuperet exslinguere christianum, ac sanctun Photinun episcopum Lugdunensem cum suis, quantoscunque habuit christianos, diversis suppliciis maceratos per martirii palmam evolasse ad coelum, sanctum Irenaeum presbiterum, de quo multa magnifica in ecclesiastica narrantur hystoria, de latere suo ad Lugdunensem urbein angelo duce transmisit, ut christianos latentes per loca diversa confortaret et gentium multitudinem sua praedicatione Jesu Christo aggregaret, Veniens autem sanctus Irenaeus cum Zacharia dyacone et duobus clericis comitibus nobilissimam Lugdunensem ingreditur urbem, virtutibus autem et signis et praedicationibus ejus iota civitas illa in proximo tempore credidit Jesu Christo domino nostro. Quo autem ire non valuit, suas epistolas transmittebat et per eas Christo auxiliante gentilium multitudo convertebatur. Ingemiscens super his calliditas. dyabolica senis Severi imperatoris pecius intravit, et in christianormn persecutionem exardescens, quo ipse non ibat, epistolas suas mittebat dala sententia, ut christiani, qui non sacrificarent ydolis, diversis suppliciis interirent. Cun antem tunc lemporis Caesar esset in extremis finibus Galliarum, sanctus Irenaeus à papa Romano pontificalis accepit gratiam apud-Lügdunum et gaudentes coeperunt ecclesiam construere christiani. Audiens autem iniquissinus Caesar, quod beata civitas illa suis renuntiaret caerimoniis, ferocissimos gladiatores elegit et veniens undique civitatem circumdari praecepit dicens: praecurrite portas, circumdate domicilia et quicunque de iis non saorificaverit, gladio jubeo finire vitam. Verum Christi pietas ante misit angelum suwun ad sanctum Irenaeum futura nuntiantem, Medio igitur fere noctis tempore angelas domini locutus est ad ewn facie ad faciem Zacharia presbitero audiente et ait: Irenaee sancte, Christus dominus noster te post multos labores tnos cum populo tuo per martirii coronam ad coelestia regna invitat, Exspectant te cum tuis militibus patriarchae et prophetae, gaudet de te apostolorum chorus, quorum praedicationis sonus exivit in urbem istam praeclaram, stant angeli ante tribunal Christi tuan pronuntiantes constantiam, Angelus rursum ait: agit tibi gratias sancta Maria cum sanoljs virginibus, quarum virginitatem per populos annuntias, pro Ie. et martirum petit exercitus, ut cun his militibus, quos socios passionis esse fecisti, agminibus paradisi jungaris, in gloria vos exspectant triclinia variis insignibus ornata, in suorum atriis collocatus est antecessor tuus sanctus Photinus.
Conforta ergo fratres nec timeas oum, qui occidit corpus, animam autem non potest occidere, Zachariam autem cum duobus dyaconibus latentem per loca paulisper reserva, ut, sicnt tu post beatum Photinmun praedicasti et fecisti, ita et ipse postmodum confortet iterum fratres in Christo, quos sünilis coronae triumphus exspectat, et qui corporis tni membra recondat in sepplchro. Haec audiens sanclus Irennmeus ait: gralins ago tibi, domine Jesu Christe fili Dei vivi, hunen aeternum, splendor justitiae, fons et origo pielatis, quod ita me per angelum tuum laetificare dignatus es, da huic populo tuo, domine Deus, constantiam, ut nullus sit, qui a tua confessione recedat, sed tua virtute confirmati promissionis tuae bravium consequantur. Et completa oratione coepit fratres confortare, quorum viscera sic spiritus sanctus replevit, nt nemo a recto itinere deviaret, sed unusquisque alterum conforiaret, Data igitur sententia felicissima urbs a militibus circumdata est, frater vero fratrem et peter filium materque filiam afferebat pro Christo domino ac universi sexus, conditionis ct aetalis summam martirii coronam accepit, Tyrannus nempe vocato Irenaeo cum toto populo ait: aut Diis nostris sacrifica et tali loco ydoluim adora, et vives cwn populo tuo aut ex altero elige mortem adorando crucem, Mox populo iterum admonito ad crucem cum populo cucurrit, ac satellites daemonum totam illam sanctam societatem ad coelos per martirii palmam eimiserunt, currebant per plateas rivi sanguinis pretiosi, Sancli vero Irenaeum tanta crudelitate vexaverunt, quod vix valeat enarrari, et in tormentis ipsis felicem animam laudans Deum emisit, Ipse vero sepultus est a beato Zacharia in crypta abditissima. Septimo autem die a passione sua cum multitudine martirum sancto Policarpo apparuit dicens ei: agnosce filium, quem emisisti, pater sancte; ecce accepimus promissionem, quam nobis promisit rex coelorum et terrae, qui est Deus benedictns in saecula saeculorum, Amen. Hic siquidem gloriosus martir ad sanctae matris nostrae ecclesiae constructionem et aedificationem praeclara scripsit volumina, adversus gentes de disciplina contra haereses libros quinque, ad Blastum de schismate, de monarchia Dei, de ogleade, de pascha ad Victorem papam, de praedicatione apostolica et alia inulta. Coronatus est autem quarto cal. Julii sub Marco Antonino anno salvationis CLXXV.
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