St. Irenaeus of Sirmium +304

St. Irenaeus of Sirmium +304

"in the city of Sirmium, the bishop Irenaeus"April 6th is the commemoration of the dukhrono of St. Irenaeus of Sirmium +304 according to the liturgical calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Mor Irenaeus was a bishop of Sirmium (the capital of Pannonia, an ancient province of Roman Empire, Northern Siberia, now Serbia) who was a martyr at Sirmium under the governor Probus in the Diocletian persecution. When called on by Probus to sacrifice to pagan gods he answered: “Whoever sacrifices to the gods will be cast into hell. My duty is to undergo torture rather than deny my God & sacrifice to demons.” Later, he was tortured & imprisoned. In the final trial he again refused to sacrifice to gods & said: “If anyone renounces me before men, him will I renounce before my father who is in Heaven.” The final words of Irenaeus were: “Lord Jesus Christ, You consented to suffer for the salvation of the world, let Your heaven open that Your angels may take up the soul of Your servant Irenaeus, who suffers all this for Your name & for the people of the church of Sirmium. I ask & implore your mercy to receive me & strengthen them in your faith” Then he was sentenced to be beheaded & thrown in the river Siva.Biography Courtesy: "Martyrs, Saints, and Prelates of the Syriac Orthodox Church"BL12150