SELECT ANCIENT TESTIMONIES

From the same work on Heresies, XXXI. §. 33.

A small decorative initial I marks the beginning of the passage concerning Irenaeus.
These were the introductory words set forth by that elder, Irenaeus, a man adorned in all things by the spirit of the Apostles. Truly he was a peacemaker original: eirenopoios according to the meaning of his name, both in his title and in his character. Having attained the gnosis knowledge that comes through faith, he did not cease, according to the Apostle's exhortation, to refute profane and empty babblings and the oppositions of knowledge falsely so-called. He spoke according to the reason of the evangelical faith regarding the scriptures at hand, and by rendering the words of glory in opposition to the glory of the heresies, he refuted their profane and empty boastings with a heavy hand. Thus, he brought to nothing all their false teachings with the word of truth in opposition to their own heresies.

Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture XVI, For the Enlightened.

The heretics of every error attack the ancient testimonies of the Church with lying tongues, and they oppose the true glory of the faith with the false-named doctrines of their heresies.

Basil, Book on the Holy Spirit, chapter 29.

That great Irenaeus, who was close to the time of the Apostles, and who was truly a peacemaker eirenopoios according to his name and character, never ceased... The rest is missing in the manuscript codices. See below page 301, column 2, line 25.

Ephrem the Syrian, Treatise on Virtue, chapter 8.

Beautifully did he record great things from what he learned and taught, and he says: John, etc. See below page 35, line 37.

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Socrates of Corinth, at the end of the history of the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp.

Gaius transcribed these things from the writings of Irenaeus, the disciple of Polycarp, who also lived alongside Irenaeus. I, Socrates of Corinth, wrote them out from the copies of Gaius. Grace be with you all.

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Jerome, in the Catalog of Ecclesiastical Writers.

Irenaeus was a priest under Pothinus the Bishop, who governed the Church at Lyons in Gaul. He was sent as an envoy to Rome by the martyrs of that same place on account of certain questions of the Church, carrying honorable letters concerning his name to Bishop Eleutherius. Later, when Pothinus was nearly ninety years old and crowned with martyrdom for Christ, Irenaeus was substituted in his place. It is certain that he was a disciple of Polycarp, the priest and martyr whom we mentioned above. He wrote five books Against Heresies original: "adversum haereses", and a short volume Against the Gentiles original: "contra Gentes", and another On Discipline original: "de Disciplina", and one To Marcian his brother on the Apostolic Preaching original: "ad Marcianum fratrem de Apostolica praedicatione"; a book of Various Treatises original: "Variorum tractatuum", and To Blastus on Schism original: "ad Blastum de Schismate", and To Florinus on the Monarchy, or, That God is not the author of evils original: "ad Florinum de Monarchia, sive, Quod Deus non sit conditor malorum", and an excellent commentary On the Ogdoad original: "de Octava", at the end of which he indicates he was near to the times of the Apostles.

The same words of Jerome were described by Freculphus of Lisieux, Chronicle Volume 2, book 3, chapter 22.

The same in chapter 64 of Isaiah.

Concerning these various portents of the ancient heretics, the Apostolic man Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons and Martyr, most diligently traced the origins of many heresies, and especially those of the Gnostics.

And in Epistle 53 to Theodora the widow, Volume IV of the new edition.

Irenaeus, a man of Apostolic times and a disciple of Papias (who was a hearer of John the Evangelist) and Bishop of the Church of Lyons, relates that a certain Marcus, descending from the stock of the Gnostics, first came to Gaul. He stained those parts through which the Rhone and Garonne flow with his doctrine. He especially seduced noble women, promising them certain secret mysteries in private, desiring their love through magical arts and the secret pleasure of the body.

Augustine, Book 1 Against Julian the Pelagian, chapter 3, section 7.

You who so frequently oppose us with the name of the Manichaeans, look now, if you are wise, at what kind of men and what great defenders of the Catholic faith you dare to attack with execrable accusation. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, lived not far from the times of the Apostles. He says that we are not saved from the ancient wound of the serpent in any other way, etc. See what this ancient man of God feels concerning the ancient wound of the serpent?

Justin, in Response to the Orthodox, 115.

The blessed Irenaeus the martyr, in his discourse on Pascha original: "περὶ τοῦ Πάσχα", etc.

Theodoret, Dialogue I, page 33. B.

Irenaeus enjoyed the teaching of Polycarp; he was very close to the generation of the Apostles.

The same in the Preface to the Fables of the Heretics.

Justin the philosopher and martyr, and Irenaeus, who either cultivated or enlightened the Celtic nations, destroyed the ancient fables of the heresies in the ancient teaching of the Church.

The same, Book I of the Fables of the Heretics, chapter 5.

Irenaeus, being of the generation of the apostles, an Apostolic man, bears witness to the tradition, saying etc. Truly I admire Irenaeus in all things.

A small decorative initial H begins the Latin summary of the previous Greek and Latin citations.
Thus far are those prefaces in which the elder Irenaeus discussed their most vain opinions in so many words. He was a man entirely instructed by the gifts of the Holy Spirit and adorned with heavenly ornaments, anointed, so to speak, for the contest. With the defenses of sincere faith and knowledge, he prostrated and overturned all their lies. He accomplished this most especially in the second book and those following, where he refuted them with a richer style. He seemed to want to drag the enemy like one already cast to the ground and conquered, and in a way to triumph over him, revealing to all the impudence of a defeated trifler rather than a strong boldness for provocation.
VII. For the Enlightened.

The most impious of all heretics even sharpened their tongues against the Holy Spirit and dared to say unspeakable things; just as Irenaeus the interpreter wrote in his Instructions against Heresies.

Let us hear how that Irenaeus, who was neighbor to the times of the Apostles, makes mention of the Spirit while disputing against heresies; "Those, however, who are unbridled," etc.

One of the Saints (Irenaeus) spoke beautifully and magnificently, while teaching in this manner: Since, therefore, it is such, etc.

And Gaius, who also lived with Irenaeus, described these things from the book of Irenaeus, the disciple of Polycarp. I, Socrates of Corinth, transcribed them from the copy of Gaius. Grace be with all.

I adjure you who transcribe this book, by the Lord Jesus Christ and by His glorious coming, in which He is to judge the living and the dead, that you compare what you have transcribed, and correct it by the copy from which you wrote, most diligently. Transfer this adjuration likewise, as you found it in the copy. This adjuration is said to have been written to Victor, the Bishop of the city of Rome, so that at the time he was writing, he should not easily break the unity of the college. Indeed, Victor believed that many Bishops of Asia and the East, who celebrated Pascha on the fourteenth moon with the Jews, should be condemned. In this opinion, those who disagreed with him did not yield to Victor. Irenaeus flourished especially under the prince Commodus, who had succeeded Marcus Antoninus Verus in the empire.

...deceived the noble women first around the Rhone in Gaul, and then in Spain, mixing pleasure with fables and claiming the name of their own "knowledge" for their ignorance.

...conciliating for himself: from there he passed to Irenaeus, and occupied the Spains. He made it his study to enter the houses of the wealthy and, in those houses, to lead away the most noble women, who are led by various desires, always learning and never reaching the knowledge of the truth. He wrote this about three hundred years ago, in those books which he composed with most learned and eloquent speech against all heresies.

— If he touches upon those authors of whom any writing can still be found, and who are illustrious in doctrine, there stands the memorable and venerable confessor Irenaeus. Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, was not far from the times of the Apostles. He says that we are not saved from the ancient wound of the serpent in any other way, etc. See what this ancient man of God feels concerning the ancient wound of the serpent? Against Julian the Pelagian, book 1, col. 2, line 27, and page 429, col. 2, line 5, following.

The Blessed Irenaeus, Martyr and Bishop of Lyons, in the book on Pascha, etc. See below page 342.

Irenaeus was a hearer and disciple of Polycarp, and the light of the Western Gauls.

Furthermore, I have collected the fables of the ancient heresies from the ancient doctors of the Church: Justin the philosopher and martyr, and Irenaeus who cultivated and enlightened the Celtic nations, etc. Fables, chapter 5.

I will bring forward the testimony of Irenaeus, an Apostolic man, who illustrated the West. Thus he writes, etc. These things, therefore, the admirable Irenaeus said concerning them.

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ON SAINT IRENAEUS AND HIS WRITINGS

Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks, book 1, chapter 29.

A decorative initial B opens the account of Irenaeus's life and death.
The most blessed Irenaeus, successor to this martyr Pothinus, who was directed to this city Lyons by the blessed Polycarp, shone with admirable virtue. In a short space of time, by his preaching, he made the city entirely Christian. But when persecution came, the devil exercised such wars there through the tyrant that in a short time a multitude of Christians were slaughtered for the confession of his divine name, so that rivers of Christian blood ran through the streets. We could neither collect their number nor their names. For the Lord has written them in the book of life. The executioner dedicated the blessed Irenaeus to Christ the Lord through martyrdom, after he was affected by various punishments presented to him.
The same, Book 1 On the Glory of the Martyrs, chapter 5.

The glorious Bishop Pothinus was consumed by martyrdom; he who ruled the city of Lyons as a Priest and was carried into the heavens through the noble merit of his struggle. The no less worthy blessed Bishop Irenaeus succeeded him, and was himself ended by martyrdom. He is buried in the crypt of the Basilica of St. John under the altar. On one side Epipodius is entombed, and on the other Alexander the Martyr.
Gregory I, Papal Register XI, Epistle 56 (new edition) to Etherius, Bishop of Lyons.

It has been a long time since we anxiously sought the deeds or writings of the Blessed Irenaeus; but so far nothing of them could be found.

Anastasius Sinaita, in Anagogical Contemplations on the Six Days of Creation, book X. Library of the Fathers, Lyons Edition, 1677, page 892.

From the Coislin Manuscript 225.3.

You hear that from one, as if through a body, the divine breathing entered into the earth-born body of Adam. Scripture did not call him by a simple name, but (since Christ was not only God) named him both God and Lord. This is how we find it written most diligently in the sincere, unadulterated, and ancient copies; those, I say, which were noted by Clement, and Irenaeus, and Philo the philosopher, and by him who composed the Hexapla six-fold Bible translation.

Decorative initial A begins the Latin translation of the Greek passage above.
You hear that from him entered (as if by some divine nature) the divine insufflation into the earth-born body of Adam. Immediately, the scripture called him not by a simple name, but named him God and Lord, as one composed. We find this most diligently in the sincere and unadulterated ancient copies; those, I mean, which were noted by Clement, and Irenaeus, and Philo the philosopher, and by him who composed the Hexapla.
And a little later, p. 893.

The older interpreters of the Church—I mean Philo the philosopher and contemporary of the Apostles, and the famous Papias of Hierapolis (the disciple of John the Evangelist), and Irenaeus of Lyons, and Justin the Martyr and Philosopher, and Pantaenus the Alexandrian, and Clement the author of the Stromata original: "στρωματεύς", and their followers—contemplated spiritually what was written concerning paradise as describing the Church of Christ.

Therefore, the ancient interpreters of the Churches—Philo, I say, a Philosopher equal in time to the Apostles, and the famous Papias of Hierapolis, disciple of John the Evangelist, and Irenaeus of Lyons, and Justin Martyr and Philosopher, and Pantaenus of Alexandria, and Clement of the Stromata, and those who followed them—spiritually contemplated the Church of Christ in the things written about paradise.
Book X, page 910.

Those who accept this sentence (as the serpent said to the woman) historically rather than spiritually, sticking to the words, I do not know by what reason they can solve the arguments of Irenaeus. For he says, in his books against heresies, against the heresy of the impure Ophites, etc.

Those who take this (the sentence spoken by the serpent to the woman) historically rather than spiritually, clinging to the words, I do not know by what reasoning they might loosen the arguments of Irenaeus. For he speaks against the leadership of the impure Ophites serpent-worshippers in his books against heresies, etc.
Dionysius on Divine Names.

I have been likened to many visions in the hands of the Prophets. That is: I am the same to myself, as Irenaeus says in his books against heresies.

I am multiple visions, and I was made similar in the hands of the Prophets. That is: I am the same to myself, as Irenaeus says in the books against heresies.
The same. Scholium on chapter VII of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy.

Papias, in his fourth book of Explanations of the Lord's Sayings, wrote that in the resurrection there would be pleasures perceived from food, etc. Indeed, Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, in book V against heresies, teaches the same; where he brings forward the aforementioned Papias as a witness to these sayings.

Bede, in the Martyrology, 4th of the Kalends of June.

5th of the Kalends of June.

At Lyons in Gaul, (the memory is celebrated) of Saint Irenaeus the Bishop, who with an entire multitude of the city, was crowned with glorious martyrdom for the sake of the stake under the Prince Severus.

...and buried by Zacharias the Priest in the crypt of the Basilica of St. John the Baptist under the altar.

Photius, in the Library, Codex 120.

We read the volume of Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (which is a city of Celtic Gaul), inscribed así: Five books of the refutation and overthrow of knowledge falsely so-called, or Against Heresies. The first of these deals with Valentinus and, taking its beginning from his impious error, repeats the origin from Simon Magus down to Tatian, who, having first been a disciple of Justin Martyr, finally fell headlong into the error of heresy. He discusses furthermore those who are properly called Gnostics, and likewise the Cainites, exposing their execrable doctrines. This is in the first book. In the second, he refutes those things which are impiously taught by heretics. The third brings forward various testimonies of Holy Scripture against them. The fourth dissolves the questions raised by the heretics. Finally, the fifth demonstrates that whatever was said or done by Christ through parables, and also from the remaining prophetic oracles and Apostolic epistles, is most fit for refuting the impostures of the heretics. Many and varied other writings and letters of the same Saint Irenaeus are circulated; although in some, the certain truth of Ecclesiastical doctrines seems to be obscured by spurious reasons, which it is proper to observe. They say he was a disciple of that Polycarp who was a Holy Martyr and Bishop of Smyrna, and a priest of Pothinus, whom he succeeded in the Bishopric of Lyons. Furthermore, Victor held the Pontificate at Rome at that time, whom Irenaeus exhorted with frequent letters not to cut off any from the Church on account of the dissension over Pascha.

Decorative initial L begins the Latin translation of the Photius entry above.
We have read the volume of Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (Lyons is a city of Celtic Gaul), so titled: Five books of the refutation and confutation of knowledge falsely so-called, or Against Heresies. The first of these, dealing with Valentinus and beginning from his impious error, runs back on winged feet to the origin, narrating from Simon Magus down to Tatian, who was first a disciple of Justin Martyr but at last fell headlong into the error of heresy. He treats besides those who are properly called Gnostics, and also the Cainites, setting out their cursed dogmas. And these things are in the first book. But in the second he refutes those things impiously taught by the heretics. The third brings various testimonies of Holy Scripture against them. The fourth dissolves the questions proposed by the heretics. The fifth shows that whatever was said or done by Christ through parables, and from the rest of the prophetic prophecies and Apostolic epistles, are most fit for refuting the impostures of the heretics. Many and various writings and letters of the same Saint Irenaeus are circulated; although in some, the certain truth of Ecclesiastical dogmas seems to be colored by spurious reasons, which it is convenient to have noted. They say he was a disciple of that Polycarp who was a Saint Martyr and Bishop of Smyrna; and was a priest of Pothinus, whom he succeeded in the Bishopric of Lyons. Moreover, Victor held the Roman Pontificate at that time, whom Irenaeus exhorted with frequent letters not to abdicate any from the Church on account of the dissension of Pascha.