# From the Sayings of St. Irenaeus on the Mystery of the Cross and the Unity of All in God

> For as we lost it (the Word) by means of a tree, by means of a tree again was it made manifest to all, showing the height, the length and the breadth in itself; and, as…

*2026-10-13T11:21:59Z*

![“For as we lost it (the Word) by means of a tree, by means of a tree again was it made manifest to all, showing the height, the length and the breadth in itself; and, as a certain man among our predecessors observed, through the extension of the hands He gathered together the two peoples to one God. For these were two hands, because there were two peoples scattered to the ends of the earth; but there was one head in the middle, as there is but one God, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.” — St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, V, 17, 4](/uploads/sites/1274e232-e31c-46f4-a48b-27b854406479/media/evidence-7c2c7c0f-e75d-4f2c-8b30-9c29c15a59fc-en-square.png?w=1080&h=1080)

### St. Irenaeus of Lyons says in “Against Heresies V, 17, 4”:

For as we lost it (the Word) by means of a tree, by means of a tree again was it made manifest to all, showing the height, the length and the breadth in itself; and, as a certain man among our predecessors observed, through the extension of the hands He gathered together the two peoples to one God. For these were two hands, because there were two peoples scattered to the ends of the earth; but there was one head in the middle, as there is but one God, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.

### Who is St. Irenaeus (the father of Church Tradition)?

Born c. 130 AD and reposed 202 AD. Though we do not know much about his life, his writings reveal not only his character but the evangelical, apostolic and ecclesial mind, for he is counted among the great men of the Church in the second century. He laid the foundation of Christian theology (θεολογία) and of the interpretation of Holy Scripture, and set out clearly and precisely the theological meaning of the Church; so he was called “the father of Christian theology” and “the father of Church Tradition”.

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*Originally published on the Orthodox Heritage Initiative (مبادرة التراث الأرثوذكسي), 2 April 2018.*

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Source: https://abba.fadymondy.com/en/blog/st-irenaeus-on-the-cross