ST. IRENAEUS was one of the Christian Fathers of the Greek Church, probably born near Smyrna. A priest of the Graeco-Gaulish Church of Lyon, he became bishop there in 177. A successful missionary bishop, he is chiefly known for his opposition to Gnosticism, his theological writing, and his attempts to prevent a rupture between Eastern and Western Churches over the computing of Easter. Curiosity is baffled, but faith and love are fed by these scanty relics of primitive antiquity. Yet may we well be grateful for what we have. These writings come down to us as the earliest response of converted nations to the testimony of Jesus. They are primary evidences of the canon and the credibility of the New Testament.