[Rank]
S. Irenaei Episcopi et Martyris;;Duplex;;3;;vide C2

[Rule]
vide C2;
9 lectiones

[Oratio]
O God, who enabled blessed Ireneaus thys Martyr, and Bishop, to overcome heresis by the truth of his teaching, and happily to establish peace in the Church, give to thy people, we pray, steadfastness in holy religion, and grant us thy peace in our days.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio4]
Iraeneus non longe ab urbe Smyrna in Asia proconsulari natus, jam inde a puero sese Polycarpo, Johannis evangelistae discipulo eidemque episcopo Smyrnaeorum, tradiderat in disciplinam. Hoc tam excellenti magistro, progressus in doctrina praecepisti christianae religionis insignes fecit. Polycarpo in caelum martyrii gloria sublato, etsi erat Irenaeus in sacris litteris egregie versatus, quod tamen incredibili studio flagraret discendi quae dogmata depositi loco custodienda ceteri accipissent, quos Apostoli instituerant; horum quam potuit plures convenit, quaeque ab iisdem audivit, memori mente tenuit, et deinceps opportune adversus haereses allaturus, quas cum videret ingenti populo christiani damno latius in dies manare, diligenter copiosesque refellere cogitarat. In Gallias inde profectus a Pothino episcopo presbyter est constitutus Ecclesiae Lugdunensis. Quod munus sic laborando in verbo et doctrina gessit, ut (testibus sanctis Martyribus, qui Marco Aurelio imperatore, strenue pro vera pietate certarant) aemulatorem sese praestiterit testamenti Christi.

[Lectio5]
Cum Martyres ipsi clerusque Lugdunensis de pace Ecclesiarum Asiae, quam montanistarum factio turbarat, solliciti cum primis essent, Irenaeum cujus esse potissimum habendam rationem praedicabant, unum omnium maxime delegerunt, quem Romam ad Eleutherium Pontificem mitterent rogatum, ut novis sectariis~
auctoritate, Sedia Apostolicae reprobatis, discordiarum causa tolleretur. Jam Pothinus episcopus, martyr decesserat: huic Irenaeus cum successiset, tam feliciter munus obiit episcopatus, ut sapientia, oratione, exemploque suo non modo brevi cives Lugdunenses omnes, sed multos etiam aliarum Galliae urbium incolas suprstitionem atque errorem abjecisse, dedisseque christianae militiae nomina viderit. Iterea, cum de die celebrandi Paschatis orta esset contentio, ac Victor Romanus Pontifex, Asianos episcopos ab collegis reliquis fere omnibus dissidentes aut prohibuisset communione sacrorum, aut prohibere minatus esset, eum Irenaeus, sequester pacis, decenter monuit, exemplisque usu Pontificium superiorum induxit, ut ne tot Ecclesias ob ritum quem a majoribus accepisse se dicerent, avelli ab unitate catholica pateretur.

[Lectio6]
Multa scripsit, quae Eusebius Caesarionsis et sanctus Hieronymus memorant, quorumque pars magna intercidit injuria temporum. Exstant ejus adversus haereses libri quinque, anno circiter centesimo octogesimo perscripti, dum adhuc Eleuthorius rem christianam publicam gereret. In tertio libro vir Dei, ab iis edoctus quos auditores constat fuisse Apostolorum, grave in primis atque praeclarum de Romana Ecclesia, deque illius episcoporum successione, divinae traditionis fideli, perpetua, certissima custode, testimonium dixit. Atque ad hanc, dixit, Ecclesiam propter potiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire Ecclesiam, hoc est eos qui sunt undique fideles. Postremo una cum aliis prope innumerabilibus, quos ipse ad veram fidem frugemque perduxerat, martyrio coronatus migravit in caelum, anno salutis ducentesimo secundo, quo tempore Septimius Severus Augustus eos omnes, qui constanter in colenda Christiana religione perstare voluissent, in summum cruciatum dari atque interfici imperaverat. Sancti Irenaei festum Benedictus decimus quintus Pontifex maximus ad universam Ecclesiam extendit.

[Lectio94]
Iraeneus born not far from the city of Smyrna from his boyhood was the disciple of Polycarp, himself the disciple of John the Evangelist and the bishop of Smyrna. When Polycarp was taken up to heaven with the glory of martyrdom, Iraeneus strove with incredible zeal to learn what articles of believe 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 these men as he could, and whatever he heard from them he carefully retained in his memory to bring out later at an opportune time against the heretics. He went to Gaul and was made priest at the church of Lions by Photinus the bishop. When he succeeded Photinus he carried out the work of his bishopric most successfully: by his wisdom, prayer and example, in a short time, he had rid not only the citizens of Lyons, but also the inhabitants of many other cities of Gaul, from superstition and error, and had enrolled then in the army of Christ. He wrote many works, a great part of which had perished through the ravages of time. Five of his books against heretics are extant, in the third of which he gives to the Roman Church and to the succession of her bishops a testimony surpassing all others in weight and brilliancy, calling her the faithful, perpetual and sure guardian of divine tradition. For he said that it is necessary to the whole Church (that is, those who are of the faithful in all places) should agree with the Roman Church, because of its eminent primacy. Crowned with martyrdom he went to heaven in the year of salvation 202.
&teDeum

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
!Matt 10:28-33
In illo tempore: Dixit Jesus discipulis suis: Nolite timere eos qui occidunt corpus, animam autem non possunt occidere; sed potius timete eum qui potest et animam et corpus perdere in gehennam. Et reliqua.
_
Homilia sancti Irensei Episcopi et Martyris
!Lib. 3 adversus Heereses cap. 18, alias 20, num. 5-6
Sciebat Dominus eos qui persecutionem passuri essent; sciebat et eos qui flagellari et occidi haberent propter eum. Erat ergo sermo ejus, adhortantis etiam illos: Nolite timere eos qui occidunt corpus, animam autem non possunt occidere. Timete autem magis eum qui habet potestatem et corpus et animam mittere in gehennam, et servare eas quae essent ad eum confessiones. Etenim ipse confessurum se promittebat coram Patre suo eos, qui confiterentur nomen suum coram hominibus; negotiorum autem eos qui negarent eum, et confusurum qui confunderentur contra confessionem ejus. Et, cum haec ita se habeant, ad tantam temeritatem progressi sunt quidam, ut etiam Martyres spernant, et vituperent eos qui propter Domini confessionem occiduntur et sustinent omnia a Domino praedicta, et secundum hoc conantur vestigia assequi passionis Domini, passibilis Martyres facti ; quos et concedimus ipsis Martyribus. Cum enim inquiretur sanguis eorum, et gloriam consequentur, tune a Christo confundentur omnes qui inhonoraverunt eorum martyrium.

[Lectio8]
Hoc autem idem et illis occurrit, qui dicunt cum putative passum. Si enim non vere passus est, nulla gratia ei, cum nulla fuerit passio; et nos, cum incipiemus vere pati, seducens videbitur, adhortans nos vapulare et alteram praebere maxillam, sed ipse illud non prior in veritate passus est. quemadmodum illos seduxit, ut videretur eis ipse : quod non erat; et nos seducit, adhortans perferre ea quae ipse non pertulit. Erimus autem et super Magistrum, dum~
patimur et sustinemus quae neque passus, neque sustinuit Magister. Sed,quoniam solus vere magister Dominus noster, et bonus vere Filius Dei; et patiens Verbum Dei Patris, filius hominis factus. Luctatus est enim et vicit; erat enim homo pro patribus certans, et per obedientiam inobedientiam persolvens. Alligavit enim fortem, et solvit firmos, et salutem donavit plasmati suo, destruens peccatum. Igitur qui dicunt eum putative manifestatum, neque in carne natum, neque vere hominem factum, adhuc sub veteri sunt damnatione

[Lectio9]
Lectio sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem
!John 21:15-19
In illo tempore: Dixit Jesus Simoni Petro: Simon Joannis, diligis me plus his? Et reliqua.
_
Homilia sancti Augustini Episcopl
!Tract. 123 in Joann, num. 5
Redditur negationi trinae trina confessio, ne minus amori lingua serviat quam timori, et plus vocis elicuisse videatur mors imminens quam vita praesens. Sitamoris officium pascere Dominicum gregem, si fuit timoris indicium negare Pastorem. Qui hoc animo pascunt oves Christi, ut suas velint esse non Christi, se convincuntur amare non Christum; vel gloriandi, vel dominandi, vel acquirendi cupiditate, non obediendi, et subveniendi> et Deo placendi caritate.
&teDeum

[Lectio91]
!Cap. 25, alias 46, num. 7
Nos autem precamur non perseverare eos in fovea quam ipsi foderunt, sed legitime eos generari conversos ad Ecclesiam Dei, et formari Christum in eis, et cognoscere eos fabricatorem et factorem hujus universitatis solum verum Deum et Dominum omnium. Haec precamur de illis, utilius eos diligentes quam ipsi semetipsos putant diligere. Quae enim est a nobis dilectio, cum sit vera, salutaris est eis, si quidem eam recipiant. Est enim austero medicamini similis, absumens improbiorem ac superfluam vulneris carnem; elationem enim illorum et inflationem evacuat. Quapropter tentantes omni virtute manum porrigere eis, non taedebit nos.
&teDeum

[Commemoratio 2]
@Sancti/06-24:Octava

[Oratio Vigilia]
!For the Vigil of Blessed Peter and Paul Apostles 
We pray, Almighty God, that thou suffer no disturbance to shake us, who thou hast firmly established, as on a rock, on the faith of thy Apostles
$Per Dominum

[Lectio Vigilia]
!For the Vigil of Blessed Peter and Paul Apostles 
From the Holy Gospel according to John
!John 21:15-17
At that time : Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?  And so on, and that which followeth.
_
A Homily by St. Augustine the Bishop
!Tractatus 123 in Joannem. in medio
To the threefold denial there is now appended a threefold confession, that his tongue may not yield a feebler service to love than to fear, and imminent death may not appear to have elicited more from his lips than present life.  Let it be the office of love to feed the Lord's flock, if it was the signal of fear to deny the Shepherd.  Those who have this purpose in feeding the flock of Christ, that they may have them as their own, and not as Christ's, are convicted of loving themselves, and not Christ, from the desire either of boasting, or wielding power, or acquiring gain, and not from the love of obeying, serving and pleasing God.
