Pope Francis has declared St. Irenaeus a Doctor of the Church, adding him to the ranks of 36 men and women who have been recognized for their contributions to the development of Christian doctrine.
The Pope had affirmed his intention to declare the second-century saint a Doctor of the Church during a meeting with the Saint Irenaeus Joint Orthodox-Catholic Working Group in 2021.
POPE FRANCIS
October 7, 2021
'Your patron, Saint Irenaeus of Lyon – whom soon I will willingly declare a Doctor of the Church with the title “Doctor unitatis” – came from the East, exercised his episcopal ministry in the West, and was a great spiritual and theological bridge between Eastern and Western Christians.'
St. Irenaeus is thought to have lived between around the years 130 and 202. He was likely born in Smyrna, in present-day Turkey, and later became the Bishop of Lyon in France.
The saint's writings were largely a response to Gnosticism, which posed a threat to the Church at the time by teaching that the faith was merely a symbol for people incapable of understanding challenging concepts.
Even Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI spoke admiringly about the saint during a General Audience in 2007. He described St. Irenaeus as “a man of faith and a Pastor,” and as “the champion in the fight against heresies.”
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