Commemoration of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

The Orthodox Church, including the Serbian Orthodox Church, commemorates the feast day of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons.

Irenaeus, a second-century bishop born near Smyrna, is recognized as a significant theologian and a ‘universal teacher’ who defended Christian doctrine against Gnosticism and Montanism. A student of Polycarp, he served in Lugdunum (modern-day Lyons, France) and authored the influential work ‘Against Heresies’. He was martyred around 202 AD during the persecutions under Emperor Septimius Severus.

In recent observations, the feast day of Saint Irenaeus has been celebrated alongside the commemoration of Saint Lupus, a servant of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki remembered for his martyrdom.

Additionally, the religious calendar marks the conclusion of the eight-day period for the Dormition of the Mother of God. In the Jerusalem Patriarchate, this tradition includes a procession carrying the icon of the Dormition following the holy liturgy. Many believers regard this period as a time of special importance for women and those seeking to start families. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, the day also marks the ‘Odanije’ of the Dormition, concluding the eight-day celebration.