"Christ our God has called thee Irene, for thou grantest peace to those who hasten to thy church with hymns. Thou dost intercede for all before the Light-creating Trinity. Together we celebrate thy memory as we magnify God Who has glorified thee."

St. Irene was a Persian princess and was baptized, as an adult, by St. Timothy. When she made this conversion to Christianity, her father sought to have her put to death, but instead was himself converted upon witnessing her strong faith and her unshakable commitment to her Lord. She later suffered martyrdom by beheading. The Emperor Justinian built a magnificent church in Constantinople in her honor. The name "Irene" means "peace" in Greek.

This month, in honor of St. Irene, try including her holy story in your family prayers. At dinner, for example, ask that your family receive her peaceful prayers and be inspired by her commitment to God, remembering that she remained faithful even when her life was threatened after her conversion. Another exercise might be to print this picture and tape it to the refrigerator; this way, every time a trip is made to the ice box, her holy face will be seen, and this can inspire conversation about who she is and what she stands for (for example, "Mom, why is she dressed like a princess?"). And these are only a few examples—with your creativity and faith, the possibilities are endless!