Saint Athanasius

Catholic Saint

st.Athanasius-Bishop; Father of the Church and Doctor of the Church

Feast Day : May 2

Also known as: “Pillar of the Church,” “Father of Orthodoxy” and “Champion of Christ’s Divinity”

Athanasius was one of the greatest opponents of the heresy of Arianism, a movement under the popular priest, Arius, which denied the divinity of Christ and the eternal nature of the Word of God. He was born around 296–298 in Alexandria, Egypt, to prominent Christian parents. He was well educated under the eye of Alexander who became bishop of the city studying Greek philosophy and rhetoric and Christian doctrine. He learned theology from teachers who had been confessors under Maximian I. In 313, Alexander succeeded Achillas in the patriarchal see. In 315, Athanasius went to the desert to spend some time in retreat with St. Anthony. In 318, Athanasius was ordained a deacon and became archdeacon and secretary to Alexander. He is thought to have written his first work at around this time: De Incarnatione Verbi Dei, which concerns the redemptive work of Christ. From 323 on, he spent much of his life combatting the Arian heresy. In 325, he attended the Council of Nicaea with Alexander, where his influence began to be felt.

This important council set forth the true doctrine of the Church and the confession known as the Nicene Creed, and confirmed the excommunication of Arius. Five months after the council, Alexander died. On his death bed he recommended Athanasius still in his twenties as his successor as bishop. In consequence of this, Athanasius was unanimously elected patriarch in 326. His refusal to tolerate the Arian heresy was the cause of many trials and persecutions for Athanasius. In 330, Eusebius of Nicomedia, the Arian bishop, returned from exile and persuaded Emperor Constantine to allow Arians to take Communion. Athanasius refused to follow the order and was accused of crimes by the Arians, including treason and misuse of Church funds and property. He was tried and found innocent. He was then accused of killing a bishop. This was proved groundless, for the bishop was alive and in hiding. Athanasius refused to attend an Arian synod to discuss the charges. Summoned by Constantine to the Council of Tyre in Lebanon in 335, Athanasius had to face angry Arians who assembled there and again charged him with crimes. The Arians succeeded in having Athanasius exiled to Trier, Germany, where he remained two and a half years. Meanwhile, Arius and Constantine died, and Athanasius returned to Alexandria in 338.Eusebius of Nicomedia had him deposed again, and a usurper took his place (the people refused to acknowledge the usurper).

Athanasius went to Rome to defend himself to Pope Julian I (r. 337–352). His opponents failed to appear and he was vindicated. After the usurper died in 345, Athanasius was restored to Alexandria. But he was condemned again by the Arians in the councils of Arles, France, in 353 and Milan, Italy, in 355. Even his church was attacked and members of his congregation were wounded. Athanasius retreated to the desert in Egypt, spending six years as a hermit. There he wrote Apology to Constantius; Apology for His Flight; Letter to the Monks; and History of the Arians. He returned to Alexandria on February 22, 362. Though welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd, he was exiled back to the desert by Emperor Julian the Apostate as “a disturber of the peace and an enemy of the gods.” There he remained until the emperor died in 363. Athanasius enjoyed another eight months in Alexandria under Emperor Jovian, but was thrown out once again by Jovian’s successor, Valens. He hid in his father’s tomb for four months. Finally, Athanasius was restored permanently to his see. He had been banished five times and had spent 17 years in exile. During his last years, he consolidated the doctrines of the Council of Nicaea and wrote the Life of St. Anthony. He died in Alexandria on May 2, 373. Later his remains were translated to Constantinople and then Venice. The Athanasian Creed was not written by him but is drawn from his work. His other important writings are Contra Gentes and De Incarnatione Verbi Dei.