--- title: "St. Irenaeus: Feast Day June 28, Life & Quotes · Bless" url: https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/ description: "St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr. Feast day June 28, died c. 202. Read their life and their own words, with sources." --- 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](https://blessbible.app/saints/june/#28) | | In the US calendar | Memorial | | Title | Bishop and Martyr | | Died | c. 202 | | In their own words | [3 sourced quotations](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#words) | | Next on Bless’s Today screen | [Monday, June 28, 2027](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#calendar) | ## 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](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#scripture). > The glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God. — *Against Heresies, IV.20.7*, c. 180 > The Word of God became what we are, that He might make us what He Himself is. — *Against Heresies, III.19.1*, c. 180 > Our bodies, receiving the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity. — *Against Heresies, V.2.3*, c. 180 ## 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. 1. 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](https://blessbible.app/bible/john/1/#v14) · CPDV Beside their words: [“The Word of God became what we are, that He might make us what He Himself is.”](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#q98) 2. 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](https://blessbible.app/bible/john/6/#v54) · CPDV Beside their words: [“Our bodies, receiving the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the…”](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#q99) 3. 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](https://blessbible.app/bible/john/10/#v10) · CPDV Beside their words: [“The glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God.”](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#q97) 4. 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](https://blessbible.app/bible/john/17/#v3) · CPDV Beside their words: [“The glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God.”](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#q97) 5. 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](https://blessbible.app/bible/1-corinthians/15/#v53) · CPDV Beside their words: [“Our bodies, receiving the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the…”](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#q99) 6. 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](https://blessbible.app/bible/2-peter/1/#v4) · CPDV Beside their words: [“The Word of God became what we are, that He might make us what He Himself is.”](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#q98) ## 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. | Date | In the US calendar | Color | Mass readings (US) | |---|---|---|---| | [Monday, June 28, 2027](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2027/06/28/) | St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr (Memorial) | Red | Genesis 18:16-33 · Psalm 103:1b-2, 3-4, 8-9, 10-11 · Psalm 95:8 · Matthew 8:18-22 | | [Wednesday, June 28, 2028](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2028/06/28/) | St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr (Memorial) | Red | 2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3 · Psalm 119:33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40 · John 15:4a, 5b · Matthew 7:15-20 | Readings Later citations were computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish. [June 27 St. Cyril of Alexandria](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-cyril-of-alexandria/) [June 29 St. Peter](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-peter/) [All the saints of June](https://blessbible.app/saints/june/) [Born on June 28?](https://blessbible.app/saints/birthday/#06-28) [A saint for every day](https://blessbible.app/saints/) Spotted a mistake in a date, a patronage or a quotation? [Report an error](https://blessbible.app/support/#report) and we’ll fix it in the app and here. St. Irenaeus Feast day June 28 On this page 1. [Life](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#life) 2. [In their own words](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#words) 3. [In Scripture](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#scripture) 4. [In the calendar](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-irenaeus/#calendar) In the app Bless shows a saint every day on its Today screen, with their life and their words. Free on iPhone.