St. Irenaeus of Lyons

St. Irenaeus of Lyons was born circa 130 in Asia Minor. This disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna became a priest in 177 and later became bishop of Lyons. He wrote against Gnosticism and was a great Western ecclesiastical writer. A father of the church, he emphasized the fact that Christ had a divine and human nature. He died for his faith in Lyons, France, in 202.