Belated Saint of the day- St Irenaeus of Sirmium- Mar 24

St Irenaeus of Sirmium, Bishop and Martyr           (AD 304)

        Sirmium was the Capital of Pannonia, Pannonia is now modern day Serbia, Sirmium was on the site of what is now Mitrovica, which is 40 or so miles to the West of present day Belgrade, Serbia.
St Irenaeus, apart from his role as leader of the Christians in that area, was also a man of influence in the city itself. During the persecution of Diocletian, Irenaeus was arrested as a Christian, and brought before Probus, the governor of Pannonia. He commanded Irenaeus to sacrifice to the gods. Irenaeus refused saying "He that sacrifices to the gods will be cast into hell-fire!" Probus said "The edicts of the most clement emperors require that all should sacrifice to the gods or suffer under the law."  Irenaeus is said to have replied "The law of my God bids me rather to suffer all torments than to sacrifice to the gods." He was strung on the rack and tortured. The guards told him to relent and sacrifice, but his resolve was unshakeable. His relatives gathered around him, and begged him to relent. his wife put her arms around him and pleaded with him to give in, for his children's sake.  His children begged him to change his mind, as well. Irenaeus steeled himself  against their cries, ou of fear that he would be offering a divided allegiance to God. He repeated the words of Our Lord Jesus, "If anyone  renounces me before men, him will I renounce before my Father who is in Heaven." He avoided making a direct answer to those who pleaded with him.  He was thrown into prison once more. He was kept there for a long time . He suffered more hardships and tortures. but he unflinchingly remained faithful to his Lord and Master. A second trial was as ineffective as  the first had been. A sentence of death was passed down from the emperor, for Irenaeus' disobedience to imperial edicts. He was sentenced to be drowned in the river. Irenaeus argued that such a death was no worthy of the cause he was suffering for. He asked to be given the chance to prove that a faithful Christian could endure whatever tortures were done to him. The Judge conceded that this brave martyr should be beheaded and his body thrown from the bridge into the river. His feast is March 24.