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A student of [[Polycarp_of_Smyrna]], Irenaeus (active AD 175-95) was born into a Christian family in the early 2nd Century in Asia Minor. He moved to Lyons in France as a young man where Christians from Asia Minor had already planted churches. After persecution took the life of the Bishop of Lyons in 177 Irenaeus was elected in his place. His lengthy refutation of Gnosticism marks him out at the most significant 2nd Century church father.