Bishop and Martyr · Feast day June 28
St. Irenaeus
The feast day of St. Irenaeus is June 28, a memorial in the US Catholic calendar. Below: a short life and 3 sourced quotations in their own words.
| Feast day | June 28 |
|---|---|
| In the US calendar | Memorial |
| Title | Bishop and Martyr |
| Died | c. 202 |
| In their own words | 3 sourced quotations |
| Next on Bless’s Today screen | None left in the published calendar (through December 31, 2028) |
Life
A disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John — Irenaeus carried the apostolic memory from Smyrna to Gaul, where he became bishop of Lyons after its martyrs’ deaths. His name means ‘peacemaker,’ and he lived it in the Church’s disputes.
His great work Against Heresies dismantled Gnosticism by appealing to the public, apostolic faith of the churches. He taught that the glory of God is a living man, and that the life of man is the vision of God.
In their own words
Each quotation names the work it comes from. Bless quotes these in the comments beside the verses listed under In Scripture.
The glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God.
The Word of God became what we are, that He might make us what He Himself is.
Our bodies, receiving the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity.
In Scripture
In Bless, St. Irenaeus’s words appear in the comments beside these verses. This page’s labels say how each is linked: “on this verse” means the saint wrote about that very verse; “on this theme” means the quotation shares its theme. Scripture is quoted from the Catholic Public Domain Version.
On this theme
And the Word became flesh, and he lived among us, and we saw his glory, glory like that of an only-begotten Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 · CPDV Beside their words: “The Word of God became what we are, that He might make us what He Himself is.”
On this theme
And so, Jesus said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you.
John 6:54 · CPDV Beside their words: “Our bodies, receiving the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the…”
On this theme
The thief does not come, except so that he may steal and slaughter and destroy. I have come so that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.
John 10:10 · CPDV Beside their words: “The glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God.”
On this theme
And this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
John 17:3 · CPDV Beside their words: “The glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God.”
On this theme
Thus, it is necessary for this corruptibility to be clothed with incorruptibility, and for this mortality to be clothed with immortality.
1 Corinthians 15:53 · CPDV Beside their words: “Our bodies, receiving the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the…”
On this theme
Through Christ, he has given us the greatest and most precious promises, so that by these things you may become sharers in the Divine Nature, fleeing from the corruption of that desire which is in the world.
2 Peter 1:4 · CPDV Beside their words: “The Word of God became what we are, that He might make us what He Himself is.”
In the calendar
The upcoming dates, through December 31, 2028, when Bless’s Today screen shows St. Irenaeus. Where the US calendar keeps another celebration that day, it is named instead and no rank is given.
Readings
No dates are left in Bless’s published calendar, which runs through December 31, 2028. St. Irenaeus keeps June 28 in Bless’s calendar of saints: see the saints of June.
All the saints of June Born on June 28? A saint for every day
Spotted a mistake in a date, a patronage or a quotation? Report an error and we’ll fix it in the app and here.