Passion of Irenaeus, Bishop of Sirmium · §1 · Origen of Alexandria

Arrest and first refusal to offer sacrifice

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Irenaeus, bishop of Sirmium, has been arrested and brought before Probus, governor of Pannonia, who orders him to offer sacrifice to the gods.

When persecution broke out under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian, Christians threw themselves into contests of many kinds. They accepted the punishments the tyrants inflicted on them with minds devoted to God, and so made themselves sharers in rewards that last forever. The same happened with Irenaeus, the servant of God and bishop of the city of Sirmium. I will now lay his contest before you and show you his victory. By his inborn modesty and his fear of God, which he served with upright deeds, he was found worthy of his name.

He was arrested and brought before Probus, the governor of Pannonia. The governor said to him, "In obedience to the divine commands, offer sacrifice to the gods." Bishop Irenaeus answered, "Whoever offers sacrifice to the gods and not to God shall be rooted out (Exodus 22:20)." The governor said, "Our most merciful emperors have ordered that you must either offer sacrifice or give way to torture." Irenaeus answered, "I have been commanded to undergo torture rather than to deny God and offer sacrifice to demons."

The governor said, "Either offer sacrifice, or I will have you tortured." Irenaeus answered, "I rejoice if you do it, so that I may be found sharing in the passion of my Lord." The governor ordered him to be violently handled. When he was being handled most cruelly, the governor said to him, "What do you say, Irenaeus? Offer sacrifice." Irenaeus answered, "I offer sacrifice to my God through a good confession of faith, and to Him I have always offered sacrifice."

Greek

I. Cum esset persecutio sub Diocletiano et Maximiano imperatoribus, quando diversis agonibus concertantes Christiani, a tyrannis illata supplicia devota deo mente suscipientes, praemiis se perpetuis participes efficiebant. quod et factum est circa famulum dei Irenaeum episcopum urbis Sirmiensium, cuius iam nunc vobis certamen pandam victoriamque ostendam; qui pro modestia sua ingenita et timore divino, cui operibus rectis inserviebat, dignus nominis sui inventus est. II. Comprehensus itaque oblatus est Probo praesidi Pannoniae. Probus praeses dixit ad eum: Obtemperans praeceptis divinis sacrifica diis. Irenaeus episcopus respondit: Qui diis et non deo sacrificat eradicabitur. Probus praeses dixit: Clementissimi principes iusserunt aut sacrificare, aut tormentis succumbere debere. Irenaeus respondit: Mihi praeceptum est tormenta magis suscipere quam deum denegans daemoniis sacrificare. Probus praeses dixit: Aut sacrifica, aut faciam te torqueri. Irenaeus respondit: Gaudeo si feceris, ut domini mei passionibus particeps inveniar. Probus praeses iussit [eam — for eum?] vexari. cumque acerbissime vexaretur, dixit ad eum praeses: Quid dicis, Irenaee? sacrifica. Irenaeus respondit: Sacrifico per bonam confessionem deo meo, cui semper sacrificavi.

About this text

To set before the hearers the contest and victory of Irenaeus, bishop of Sirmium, under Diocletian and Maximian.

This passion was written by an anonymous Christian of Sirmium and names no individual reader. It belongs to the time of Diocletian and Maximian. It was written to set before its hearers the contest and victory of Irenaeus, bishop of Sirmium, and it closes by asking Christ to receive Irenaeus and to confirm his Catholic church of Sirmium in the faith.

Irenaeus is arrested and brought before Probus, governor of Pannonia, who orders him to offer sacrifice to the gods or face torture. Irenaeus refuses, welcomes suffering as sharing the passion of Christ, and holds to his confession of faith under torture and in prison. When his parents, children, wife, household, neighbours and friends beg him to spare his youth he answers no one, keeping before his eyes Christ's saying about denying Christ. After a second hearing at night he again refuses, says he worships only God and not handmade gods, disowns wife, children and parents for Christ's sake, is sentenced to drowning, asks for the sword as well, prays for his spirit and for the church of Sirmium, and is then beheaded and thrown into the Sava. The reader hears the words of Probus, the answers and prayers of Irenaeus, the plea of his family and friends, and sayings of Jesus Christ quoted by the narrator and by Irenaeus, which Irenaeus sets against the order to sacrifice.

Offer sacrifice here means performing the required pagan offering as a loyalty test. Gods are the pagan gods, described as handmade. Governor is the Roman provincial judge, bishop is the head of the local congregation, and contest is the trial pictured as ending in victory. These in the closing prayer means the people of the church of Sirmium. The work quotes Scripture without naming books. The sayings used are cited here as Exod 22:20, Matt 10:33 and Matt 10:37, and no Psalms occur.

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.