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St Athanasius

the Apostolic

St Athanasius: Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, Sozopol, Bulgaria
Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, Sozopol, Bulgaria, end of the 17th century. Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

Ἀθανάσιος Ἀλεξανδρείας

Athanasius, the 20th Pope of Alexandria, was Alexander's deacon at Nicaea in 325 and bishop of Alexandria from 328 until his repose on 2 May 373. He defended the Nicene faith through several exiles.

Born
c. 296–298
Died
2 May 373
Feast
7 Bashans (Pashons) · Commemoration of his repose (Coptic Synaxarium, 7 Bashans).
Era
4th century
See
Alexandria (20th Pope)
Apologist Fathers

Life

Athanasius was born in Alexandria. Sources place his birth between 296 and 298 (St-Takla's Synaxarium says "about 295 and 298") [3][10][1]. He received a Greek education, probably in the Alexandrian school, and served Bishop Alexander as deacon and secretary [3].

He accompanied Alexander to the Council of Nicaea in 325 as a deacon [4][10]. After Alexander's death he was chosen bishop of Alexandria in 328, when he was about thirty [5]; the Synaxarium dates his election to 8 Bashans, year 44 of the Martyrs (328) [1].

His defence of the Nicene faith cost him repeated banishment. Deposed at the Synod of Tyre in 335, he was sent to Trier and returned on 23 November 337 [6]; he was absent again from 339 to 346, mostly in Rome, and came back on 21 October 346 [7]; from 356 to 362 he lived hidden among the desert cells of Egypt [8]; and further troubles followed between 362 and 366 [14]. Wikipedia counts five exiles totalling about seventeen years [10].

He reposed on 2 May 373, in the forty-sixth year of his episcopate [9]; the Coptic Church commemorates him on 7 Bashans [1]. His early treatises Against the Heathen and On the Incarnation are dated by sources to before or about 319 [2][10], and his relics were returned to Egypt by Pope Shenouda III in 1973 and rest in St. Mark's Cathedral, Cairo [11].

Where the sources disagree

Birth: 296–298 (NPNF, Wikipedia), "about 295 and 298" (St-Takla Synaxarium), 298 as the editor's preferred estimate (NPNF), 293 or 297 (Arabic Wikipedia). Election: all agree on 328, but the day differs: 8 Bashans 44 A.M. = 5 May 328 (St-Takla Synaxarium), 8 June 328 (NPNF), 9 May 328 (Wikipedia); Wikipedia also notes 326 as an older dating. Death: 2 May 373 (NPNF, Wikipedia, St-Takla); NPNF notes the Historia Acephala says 3 May; Arabic Wikipedia mentions 21 May. Parents: the Synaxarium says pagan; NPNF says later writers describe them as wealthy and of high rank. Earliest work: "before 319" or c. 318 (Wikipedia), c. 319 (St-Takla).

Timeline

  1. c. 296–298Born in Alexandria.[3]
  2. c. 319Serves Alexander as deacon (Wikipedia gives 319 for his ordination as deacon).[10]
  3. 325Attends the Council of Nicaea with Alexander.[4]
  4. 328Chosen bishop of Alexandria.[5]
  5. 335–337Deposed at Tyre (335); exiled to Trier; returns 23 Nov 337.[6]
  6. 339–346Second exile, mostly in Rome; Council of Sardica (343); returns 21 Oct 346.[7]
  7. 356–362Third exile, hidden among the monastic cells of Egypt.[8]
  8. 362–366Fourth and fifth exiles (21 Feb 362 to 1 Feb 366, as headed in the NPNF contents).[14]
  9. 2 May 373Reposes in Alexandria.[9]
  10. 1973Relics returned to Egypt by Pope Shenouda III.[11]

Works

Words by topic

The Doctrine of Theosis

Apologist Fathers1

Do We Receive His Humanity Alone?

Apologist Fathers1

Topics cited in

The Doctrine of TheosisDo We Receive His Humanity Alone?

Notes

  1. [1]St-Takla, Coptic Synaxarium, 7 Bashans (Athanasius)
  2. [2]St-Takla, biography of Pope Athanasius (Coptic Saints Story 97)
  3. [3]NPNF2-04, Prolegomena: Early years, 298-319
  4. [4]NPNF2-04, Prolegomena: The Council of Nicaea
  5. [5]NPNF2-04, Prolegomena: Early years of his episcopate, 328-335
  6. [6]NPNF2-04, Prolegomena: Council of Tyre and first exile, 335-337
  7. [7]NPNF2-04, Prolegomena: Second exile, 337-346
  8. [8]NPNF2-04, Prolegomena: The third exile, 356-362
  9. [9]NPNF2-04, Prolegomena: Last years, 366-373
  10. [10]Wikipedia (EN), Athanasius of Alexandria
  11. [11]OrthodoxWiki, Athanasius of Alexandria
  12. [12]Wikipedia (AR), أثناسيوس الأول (بابا الإسكندرية)
  13. [13]NPNF2-04, Introduction to On the Incarnation (gives no composition date)
  14. [14]NPNF2-04, table of contents (section: Fourth and Fifth Exiles, Feb 21 362 to Feb 1 366)

Bibliography