Irenaeus was bishop of Lyons, in Southern France, though may have grown up in Smyrna, which is modern day Turkey. There, he had personal contact with Saint Polycarp, one of the Apostolic Fathers who knew the Apostle John. Before becoming bishop, Irenaeus was a pastor, a missionary and studied in Rome where he was influenced by Saint Justin Martyr.
His major work, Against Heresies, written around the year 185 AD, exposed the Gnostic cults of the day and strongly defended of Catholic Christianity. His writings were a heroic defense of the church and cost him his life. He received the martyr's crown around the year 200. In giving up his life for the Lord, He upheld the truth and always sought unity and peace.
Excerpt from Saint Irenaeus' classic work, Against Heresies.
"The Lord, coming into his own creation in visible form, was sustained by his own creation which he himself sustains in being. His obedience on the tree of the cross reversed the disobedience at the tree in Eden; the good news of the truth announced by an angel to Mary, a virgin subject to a husband, undid the evil lie that seduced Eve, a virgin espoused to a husband."
The inspiration for the devotion to Our Lady Undoer of Knots came through these truths.
"The knot of Eve's disobedience was united by Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith...:Death through Eve, life through Mary." Catechism of the Catholic Church 494
Eve was tempted by a fallen angel, turned away from the Lord and sinned. Mary was visited by Saint Gabriel, the Archangel, and said yes to the Lord. Eve, by her disobedience, brought sin and death to the human race; whereas Mary, by her obedience, brought salvation and new life to all humanity.
O Mother Mary, the New Eve, the Sanctuary of God, the first Tabernacle of Jesus, pray for us.
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