Saint Irenaeus

Saint Irenaeus was a significant figure in the early Christian Church. Here are some key details about his life and contributions:

- **Birth and Early Life**: Irenaeus was born around 130 AD in Smyrna, Asia Minor, which is now İzmir, Turkey². He was of Greek descent.

- **Connection to the Apostles**: As a child, Irenaeus heard and saw St. Polycarp, the last known living connection with the Apostles, in Smyrna¹. This places him just three generations away from Jesus of Nazareth¹.

- **Bishop of Lyon**: After persecutions in Gaul in 177, Irenaeus succeeded the martyred Pothinus as bishop of Lugdunum, now Lyon¹. Prior to his becoming bishop, he had served as a missionary to southern Gaul and as a peacemaker among the churches of Asia Minor¹.

- **Works and Theology**: Irenaeus is best known for his work "Adversus haereses" (Against Heresies), written around 180 AD¹². This was a refutation of Gnosticism, particularly that of Valentinus². In his writings, Irenaeus promoted the development of an authoritative canon of the New Testament⁴. He is the earliest surviving witness to regard all four of the now-canonical gospels as essential².

- **Legacy**: Irenaeus is recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church, which celebrates his feast on June 28, and in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, which celebrates the feast on August 23². Pope Francis declared Irenaeus the 37th Doctor of the Church on 21 January 2022².

Irenaeus's contributions to early Christian theology were formative, and his influence continues to be felt in the Church today¹²⁵.

(1) Irenaeus - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irenaeus.

(2) Saint Irenaeus | Biography, Works, Apologist, Theology, & Facts. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Irenaeus.

(3) Saint Irenaeus summary | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/summary/Irenaeus.

(4) Irenaeus - New World Encyclopedia. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Irenaeus.

(5) Saint Irenaeus | Biography, Works, Apologist, Theology, & Facts. https://bing.com/search?q=Saint+Irenaeus+biography.