Today, the Church recalls the memory of the holy and glorious virgin martyr, Irene.
Irene was the daughter of the governor of a Persian city. She was baptized by Paul’s companion, the apostle Timothy, and endured many long years of suffering for her faith, first by her father, and, after his conversion, at the hand of the Persians, who deposed him as governor. She was responsible for bringing large numbers of believers into the Church. Justinian built a church in Constantinople to her memory, which still stands. (NS)