Feast Day: May 5th


The Life of Saint Irene: An Angel of the Lord taught her the faith of Christ, foretelling to her that a myriad of Souls would be saved through her, and that in a paradoxical manner the Apostle Timothy, the disciple of the Apostle Paul, would come and Baptize her…

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Prayers

Apolytikion: Christ our God has called thee Irene, for thou grantest peace to those who hasten to thy church with hymns. Thou dost intercede for all before the Light-creating Trinity. Together we celebrate thy memory, as we magnify God Who has glorified thee.

Kontakion: Adorned with the beauty of virginity and by martyrdom, O virgin Irene, reddened with the blood thou hast shed, thou didst overthrow the error of godlessness. Wherefore thou didst receive the prizes of victory from the hand of thy Creator.


Saint Irene grew up confined by her father to live in a tower, because of her beauty, and here she received education.

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One day Saint Irene saw a dove enter her tower, holding an olive branch in its beak, which it placed on a golden table. Then she saw an eagle holding a crown made of thorns, which the eagle also placed on the table. Then she saw a raven enter through another window, holding a snake, and placing it on the table. When the young Saint Irene saw these things she asked her teacher the meaning of them, and he explained that they reveal the great Martyric struggle she would experience for God. He explained “The dove signifies the education of the mind, while the olive branch signifies the sealing and beginning of things and is a type of Baptism. The eagle, being the king of birds, foreshows by means of the crown, the victory you will have through chosen and good things. The raven with the snake signifies that you will taste of suffering and anguish.”

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An Angel of God taught Saint Irene about Christ and how a myriad of Souls would be saved through her, how the Apostle Timothy would Baptise her. Then the Saint Irene threw down the idols of her father and destroyed them.

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Her father attempted to torture her but died in the process. Saint Irene raised him back to life by her Prayers, and then her father and mother and many witnesses came to repentance and were Baptised.

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A new King then came to power and Saint Irene was tortured greatly to deny her faith, she remained unshaken and was finally beheaded.

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She was raised from the dead, performed many miracles…


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