# Ireneus, An Ancient Teacher, After Many Torments, Put To Death For The Name Of Jesus Christ, At Lyons, In France, About The Year 210.

c. 210 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: IRENEUS, AN ANCIENT TEACHER, AFTER MANY TORMENTS, PUT TO DEATH FOR THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, AT LYONS, IN FRANCE, ABOUT THE YEAR 210.

Source heading; not independently verified

Ireneus, by descent an Asiatic, was born at
Smyrna. In his youth he attended school, and was
a disciple of Polycarp, who was appointed by the
apostle John bishop of the church at Smyrna, and
afterwards became a martyr, as we have already
shown in the proper place. On account of his
(Ireneus’) special fitness, he subsequently became
bishop of the church at Lyons in France, in the
place of Photinus. His erudition was so great, that
Eusebius extols him more than any of the learned
who lived before and in his time. Tertullian called
him “the most remarkable investigator of all manner
of learning.” Jerome said that he was “an apostolic
man, who lived next to the time of the apostles.”
Epiphanius gave him the title of a “holy and ancient
divine,” yea, a “successor of the apostles.” In his
ministry he was so faithful a servant in the house
of the Lord, that he had the oversight not only of
the church at Lyons, where he was bishop, and
other churches in France, but even of some churches
in Asia and Phrygia.

Concerning his death, the ancient historians have
left us but little information of the time as well as of
the manner of his martyrdom. We find, however,
in regard to it the following words: “That, when
the persecution of the Christians, under Severus,
had been instituted in all the countries of the Romans,
the city of Lyons, too, pursuant to the
command of the Emperor, was surrounded with
soldiers, and all the Christians in it put to death
with the sword, or beheaded; but that Ireneus, the
shepherd of them all, was sought with special diligence,
and, when found, was put to death with
manifold tortures, and was buried by Zacharia, his
elder.” Ex actis Procons. Perditis hoc Tantum
extat. Adr. Martyrol. 28 Jun. Abr. Mell., fol. 59,
col. 3, and fol. 60, col. 1, ex Hieron. Catal. Iren.
idem Hieron. epist. 84 ad Magnum, and 29 ad
Theodorum Euseb., lib. 4, cap. 20. Tertull. lib.
Contra Valentin., cap. 5. Hieron. epist. 29. ad Theodorum
and in Catal. Epiph. Haer. 24 and 31. Also,
Joh. Gys., 1657, fol. 18, col. 3, 4. Also, P. J. Twisck,
3d book, for the year 210, 28th June, p. 56, col. 1.
He adds these words: “On the 28th of June, A. D.
210, in the fifth persecution, Bishop Irenus (he
means to say: Ireneus) was put to death, together
with many citizens, for the confession of Christ.”

He says of the Lord’s Supper: “There is something
heavenly and something earthly; the earthly
is bread, which is for the nourishment of the body,
and points us to the heavenly, that is, Christ with
his merits, which is the food of the soul.”

In the Revelation of John he writes that “antichrist
will rise in the Latin, that is, the Roman
church, and will be a Roman.” Also: “Antichrist,
who is a thief and apostate, would be worshiped as
God, and, though being but a servant, would be
proclaimed king.” From Histor. Georg., lib. 2.
Vinc. Cal., fol. 352. P. P. Cock, fol. 59.





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