During the reign of the wicked Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian, in a time of fierce persecution of Christians, the Bishop of Sirmium was the young and perfect in faith Saint Irenaeus. He endured many persecutions for confessing Christ and was brought before the governor Probus, who demanded that he offer sacrifice to the gods. The Saint, rejecting this, declared that he would prefer torture rather than renounce the true God.
Despite the pleas of his parents and loved ones, Irenaeus remained steadfast in his faith, referring to the words of the Lord that whoever denies Him is not worthy of Him. The governor, unable to break his spirit, ordered him to be subjected to cruel tortures, but the Saint continued to confess his faith and was not afraid of death.
After long sufferings, Probus pronounced the death sentence, ordering him to be thrown into the river. The Saint, rejoicing that his sufferings would lead to eternal bliss, prayed to the Lord for the preservation of the people of his church. He was beheaded and thrown into the Sava River on March 26, receiving the crown of martyrdom for his faith in Christ.
