Irenaeus
2. Bishop of Tyre, but previously a count of the empire, was the representative of the emperor Theodosius at the council of Ephesus, where he took part with the Nestorians, A. D. 431. Immediately after the council, he hastened to Constantinople, in order to counteract the influence of the representatives of the party of Cyril on the emperor's mind.
In this he succeeded for the time; but, after long vacillation, Theodosius at last declared himself against the Nestorians, and banished Irenaeus from his court, about A. D. 435. Irenaeus betook himself to his friends, the Oriental bishops, by whom he was made bishop of Tyre, A. D. 444.
In an imperial decree against the Nestorians, which still exists, it is ordered that Irenaeus should be deposed from his bishopric, and deprived of his clerical character.
The sentence was carried into effect in A. D. 448.
Works
In his retirement, Irenaeus wrote a history of the Nestorian struggle, under the title of
Tragoedia seu Commentarii de Rebus in Synodo Ephesina ac in Oriente gestis. The original Greek is lost entirely.
Editions
We have an old Latin translation of parts of it, published by Christian Lupus, Louvain, 1682; for, though Lupus entitled his book Variorum Patrum Epistolae ad Coneilium Ephesinum perlinentes, there can be no doubt that all the passages in it are remains of the work of Irenaeus.
Further Information
Mansi,
Sacr. Concil. Nov. Collect. vol. v. pp. 417, 731; Tillemont,
Mém. Eccles. vol. xiv.; Cave,
Hist. Litt. sub ann. 444.
