Saint of the day:
Saint Irenaeus's Story
The writings of St. Irenaeus entitle him to a high place among the fathers of the Church, for they not only laid the foundations of Christian theology but, by exposing and refuting the errors of the gnostics, they delivered the Catholic Faith from the real danger of the doctrines of those heretics.
He was probably born about the year 125, in one of those maritime provinces of Asia Minor where the memory of the apostles was still cherished and where Christians were numerous. He was most influenced by St. Polycarp who had known the apostles or their immediate disciples
Many Asian priests and missionaries brought the gospel to the pagan Gauls and founded a local church. To this church of Lyon, Irenaeus came to serve as a priest under its first bishop, St. Pothinus, an oriental like himself. In the year 177, Irenaeus was sent to Rome. This mission explains how it was that he was not called upon to share in the martyrdom of St Pothinus during the terrible persecution in Lyons. When he returned to Lyons it was to occupy the vacant bishopric. By this time, the persecution was over. It was the spread of gnosticism in Gaul, and the ravages it was making among the Christians of his diocese, that inspired him to undertake the task of exposing its errors. He produced a treatise in five books in which he sets forth fully the inner doctrines of the various sects, and afterwards contrasts them with the teaching of the Apostles and the text of the Holy Scripture. His work, written in Greek but quickly translated to Latin, was widely circulated and succeeded in dealing a death-blow to gnosticism. At any rate, from that time onwards, it ceased to offer a serious menace to the Catholic faith.
The date of death of St. Irenaeus is not known, but it is believed to be in the year 202. The bodily remains of St. Irenaeus were buried in a crypt under the altar of what was then called the church of St. John, but was later known by the name of St. Irenaeus himself. This tomb or shrine was destroyed by the Calvinists in 1562, and all trace of his relics seems to have perished.
who upheld your servant Irenaeus with strength to maintain the truth against every blast of vain doctrine: Keep us, we pray, steadfast in your true religion, that in constancy and peace we may walk in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Saint Irenaeus Church, Lyon, France
*The tomb and his remains were utterly destroyed in 1562 by the Huguenots.
Saint Irenaeus a key to unity
~Saint Iranaeus comes from the East, but then goes to the West and forms a theology that integrates both cultures
~Saint Iranaeus focused on the worldwide church as one body
~Anatolia: Asia Minor, the Orthodox church & the Catholic Church
Saint Iranaeus didn't feel that the church calendars should separate the east vs. west (Celebrating Easter/Pascha on different dates)
~Saint Irenaeus' book, "Against heresies," speaks about this
~Saint Irenaeus speaks against enlightened individuals, gnosticism, thus streamlining the books of the bible
Read his book:
What to eat Lyon style:
the rotisserie chicken and potatoes cooked in drippings in Lyon is simple but phenomenal.
Quenelles de brochet (pike fish sometimes chicken)
Brioche Lyonnaise topped with pink Praline
Galette de Pérouges
Galette de Pérouges
Sugar cake from Pérouges
Ingredients (for 2 small pancakes or 1 large):
200g of flour
125g softened butter (room temperature)
30g of sugar
1 zest of lemon
1 pinch of salt
10g of baker's yeast
10cl of water
Making the dough
Pour 10cl of warm water into a glass and crumble the baker's yeast in it. Let it soften and stir with a spoon.
Wash the lemon and prepare the zest.
Mix the 125g softened butter with the egg and zest. Add a pinch of salt.
Then add the 30g of sugar then the yeast.
Pour the flour by kneading the dough. Continue kneading until the dough starts to come off your fingers.
Cover the dough with a cloth and let rise for 2 hours.
Cooking the cake
Then spread the dough on the oven plate giving it a rounded shape.
Cover with caster sugar. And sprinkle with small pieces of butter.
Cook in hot oven (250 °) for 8-10 minutes.