In Festo Sancti Irenæi (Jun. 27), Acta

In Festo Sancti Irenæi (Jun. 27), Acta

From Matins of the Feast of St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Bishop and Martyr
Online Source: www.breviary.net

Second Nocturn
Absolutio: Ipsíus píetas et misericórdia nos ádjuvet, qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum.R.  Amen.	Absolution:  May his loving-kindness and mercy assist us.  Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever. R.  Amen.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 4: Deus Pater omnípotens sit nobis propítius et clemens. R.  Amen.	Benediction 4:  May God the Father Almighty shew us his mercy and pity. R.  Amen.
Lesson iv
St. Irenaeus and St. Polycarp
Irenæus, non longe ab urbe Smyrna in Asia proconsulári natus, jam inde a púero sese Polycárpo, Joánnis Evangelístæ discípulo eidémque epíscopo Smyrnæórum, tradíderat in disciplínam.  Hoc tam excellénti magístro, progréssus in doctrína præceptísque christiánæ religiónis insígnes fecit.  Polycárpo in cælum martyrii glória subláto, etsi erat Irenæus in sacris lítteris egrégie versátus, quod tamen incredíbili stúdio flagráret discéndi quæ dógmata depósiti loco custodiénda céteri accepíssent, quos Apóstoli institúerant ; horum quam pótuit plures convénit, quæque ab iísdem audívit, mémori mente ténuit, ea deínceps opportúne advérsus hæreses allatúrus, quas cum vidéret ingénti pópuli christiáni damno látius in dies manáre, diligénter copioséque reféllere cogitárat.  In Gállias inde proféctus, a Pothíno epíscopo présbyter est constitútus Ecclésiæ Lugdunénsis.  Quod munus sic laborándo in verbo et doctrína gessit, ut (téstibus sanctis Martyribus, qui, Marco Aurélio imperatóre, strénue pro vera pietáte certárant) æmulatórem sese præstíterit testaménti Christi.	Irenaeus was born in proconsular Asia, not far from the city of Smyrna.  There he had already as a boy entrusted himself to the teaching of Polycarp, disciple of John the Evangelist, and bishop of Smyrna.  Under such an excellent master, he made remarkable progress in learning and in the precepts of the Christian religion.  When Polycarp was taken up to heaven by a glorious martyrdom, although Irenaeus was eminently versed in sacred letters, nevertheless, he burned with an incredible zeal to learn what articles of belief the others who were instructed by the Apostles had received, to be preserved in the deposit of faith.  For this reason he brought together as many of those men as he could, and whatever things he heard from them, he carefully retained in his mind.  Thus he could advantageously bring them to bear in the future against those heresies, which he saw were being diffused more widely day by day to the great detriment of the Christian people, and he diligently planned thoroughly to confute them.  Then, having set out for Gaul, he was appointed as a priest of the church of Lyons by Pothinus the bishop.  And this office he discharged in such a manner, labouring both by word and by teaching, that (according to the testimony of the holy Martyrs who, when Marcus Aurélius was emperor, were engaged in a vigorous combat for the true religion) he distinguished himself as an imitator of the testament of Christ.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
Smyrna
R.  Honéstum fecit illum Dóminus, et custodívit eum ab inimícis, et a seductóribus tutávit illum: * Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.V.  Descendítque cum illo in fóveam, et in vínculis non derelíquit eum. R.  Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.	R.  The Lord multiplied the fruit of his labours and defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait: * And gave him perpetual glory. V.  The Lord went down with him into the pit, and left him not in bonds. R.  And gave him perpetual glory.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 5: Christus perpétuæ det nobis gáudia vitæ.R.  Amen.	Benediction 5: May Christ bestow upon us the joys of life eternal. R.  Amen.
Lesson v
Lyons, with the Cathedral in the foreground and the Basilica of Fourvière on top of the hill
Cum Mártyres ipsi clerúsque Lugdunénsis de pace Ecclesiárum Asiæ, quam Montanistárum fáctio turbárat, sollíciti cum primis essent, Irenæum, cujus esse potíssimum habéndam ratiónem prædicábant, unum ómnium máxime delegérunt, quem Romam ad Eleuthérium Pontíficem mítterent rogátum, ut novis sectáriis auctoritáte Sedis Apostólicæ reprobátis, discordiárum causa tollerétur.  Jam Pothínus epíscopus, martyr decésserat : huic Irenæus cum successísset, tam felíciter munus óbiit episcopátus, ut sapiéntia, oratióne, exemplóque suo non modo brevi cives Lugdunénses omnes, sed multos étiam aliárum Gálliæ úrbium íncolas superstitiónem atque errórem abjecísse, dedísseque christiánæ milítiæ nómina víderit.  Intérea, cum de die celebrándi Paschátis orta esset conténtio, ac Victor, Románus Póntifex, Asiános epíscopos ab collégis réliquis fere ómnibus dissidéntes aut prohibuísset communióne sacrórum, aut prohibére minátus esset, eum Irenæus, sequéster pacis, decénter mónuit, exemplísque usus Pontíficum superiórum indúxit, ut ne tot Ecclésias ob ritum quem a majóribus accepísse se dícerent, avélli ab unitáte cathólica paterétur.	These very Martyrs, together with the clergy of Lyons, began to be anxious concerning the peace of the churches of Asia, which the faction of the Montanists had disturbed.  And so they selected Irenaeus, whose person they considered of the greatest importance, as the one before all others whom they should send to Rome to Pope Eleutherius to ask, that, with the condemnation of the new dissidents by the authority of the Apostolic See, the cause of the dissensions might be removed.  Already the bishop Pothinus had died a martyr and Irenaeus succeeded him.  He applied himself so well to the duties of a bishop, that in a short time he saw not only all the citizens of Lyons, but also many of the inhabitants of other cities in Gaul cast aside their superstitions and errors, and enroll themselves in the Christian army.  Meanwhile, a dispute had arisen concerning the date of the celebration of Easter.  As the bishops of Asia were disagreeing with nearly all their fellow-bishops, the Roman Pontiff Victor had cut them off from the communion of the faithful.  Irenaeus, however, who was zealous for peace, admonished him in a becoming manner, and urged, by examples of the practice of previous Pontiffs, that he should not suffer so many Churches to be cut off from Catholic unity, on account of a rite which they said they had received from their ancestors.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
Pope St. Victor I
R.  Desidérium ánimæ ejus tribuísti ei, Dómine, * Et  voluntáte labiórum ejus non fraudásti eum.V.  Quóniam prævenísti eum in benedictiónibus dulcédinis, posuísti in cápite ejus corónam de lápide pretióso. R.  Et  voluntáte labiórum ejus non fraudásti eum.	R.  Thou hast given him, O Lord, his heart's desire, * And hast not denied him the request of his lips.V.  For thou hast prevented him with the blessings of goodness, and hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head. R.  And hast not denied him the request of his lips.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 6: Ignem sui amóris accéndat Deus in córdibus nostris. R.  Amen.	Benediction 6: May God enkindle in our hearts the fire of his holy love. R.  Amen.
Lesson vi
Multa scripsit, quæ Eusébius Cæsariénsis et sanctus Hierónymus mémorant, quorúmque pars magna intércidit injúria témporum.  Exstant ejus advérsus hæreses libri quinque, anno círciter centésimo octogésimo perscrípti, dum adhuc Eleuthérius rem christiánam públicam géreret.  In tértio libro vir Dei, ab iis edóctus quos auditóres constat fuísse Apostolórum, grave in primis atque præclárum de Romána Ecclésia, deque illíus episcopórum successióne, divínæ traditiónis fidéli, perpétua, certíssima custóde, testimónium dixit.  Atque ad hanc, dixit, Ecclésiam propter potiórem principalitátem necésse est omnem conveníre Ecclésiam, hoc est eos qui sunt úndique fidéles.  Postrémo una cum áliis prope innumerabílibus, quos ipse ad veram fidem frugémque perdúxerat, martyrio coronátus migrávit in cælum, anno salútis ducentésimo secúndo, quo témpore Septímius Sevérus Augústus eos omnes, qui constánter in colénda christiána religióne perstáre voluíssent, in summum cruciátum dari atque intérfici imperáverat.  Sancti Irenæi festum Benedíctus décimus quintus Póntifex máximus ad univérsam Ecclésiam exténdit.	He wrote many works, which are mentioned by Eusebius of Caesarea and by St. Jerome, a great part of which have perished through the ravages of time.  There are extant five books of his against heresies, written down about the year 180, while Eleutherius was still ruling the Christian commonwealth.  In the third book, the man of God, instructed by those who, it is certain, had been hearers of the Apostles, gives to the Roman Church and to the succession of her bishops a testimony surpassing all others in weight and brilliancy, when he calleth her the faithful, perpetual, and most assured guardian of divine tradition.  For he said, that with this Church it is necessary that the whole Church (that is, those in all places who are of the faithful) should agree, because of its more powerful preeminence.  At length with almost countless others, whom he had himself brought over to the true faith and its practice, being crowned with martyrdom he passed to heaven in the year of salvation 202.  At that time Septimius Severus Augustus had commanded that all those who wished to remain constantly steadfast in the practice of the Christian religion should be condemned to the most cruel torments and to death.  The supreme Pontiff Benedict XV extended the feast of St. Irenaeus to the universal Church.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
Lyons
R.  Stola jucunditátis índuit eum Dóminus : * Et corónam pulchritúdinis pósuit super caput ejus.V.  Cibávit illum Dóminus pane vitæ et intelléctus : et aqua sapiéntiæ salutáris potávit illum. R.  Et corónam pulchritúdinis pósuit super caput ejus.V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. R.  Et corónam pulchritúdinis pósuit super caput ejus.	R.  The Lord hath put on him a robe of honour, * And hath put about his head a crown of joy.V.  With the bread of life and understanding the Lord hath fed him, and hath given him the water of wisdom to drink. R.  And hath put about his head a crown of joy.V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. R.  And hath put about his head a crown of joy.