St Athanasius (295-373) patriarch of Alexandria
Patriarch at 32
Born in Alexandria, while still a
deacon Athanasius had been secretary and companion to his predecessor,
Alexander, at the Council of Nicea 325, when the Arian heresy was
condemned.
When Alexander died in 328, Athanasius became patriarch. Some
extremist followers of Athanasius attacked and killed some Arian
dissenters in Alexandria. Although not personally involved, Athanasius
was exiled by the Emperor Constantine to Trier (in Germany).
Often in exile
It wasn't until after
Constantine's death in 337 that Athanasius was able to return to
Alexandria, and even then he had a lot of opposition to contend with.
He
made extensive pastoral visits through his patriarchate, striving to
improve the spiritual life of his people through preaching and spiritual
writing.
Monks and nuns were many. But in 356 there was a fresh
outbreak of Arianism supported by Constantius, Constantine's
son, and Athanasius had to flee Alexandria for three further periods -
from 339-346 in Rome and twice (356-61, 362-3) in country districts near
Alexandria. Only for the last seven years of his life did he have
peaceful charge of his church.
His writings
Athanasius's basic theological works are Against the Arians and On the incarnation. His Against the Arians is a work of controversial theology. His Life of St Antony had a great influence on western monasticism and became a model of hagiography in the Middle Ages.
His Festal Letters, directed
to his community to prepare them for Easter, were discovered in a
Syrian translation in Egypt in the mid 19th century.
The 39th Festal Letter is the earliest source we have for what came to be known as the Canon of Scripture, that is, the books the Church regards as inspired and canonical and so authoritative.
Death and influence
Athanasius's emblem shows a
stole draped over a triangle symbolising his office as bishop and his
defence of orthodox doctrine on the Trinity.
His ascetical writings
promoted the ideals of monasticism and virginity as effective means of
restoring the divine image in fallen humanity.
Despite having spent so
much of his life in exile, he died peacefully at Alexandria in 373.
With
Basil the Great, Gregory Nazianzen and John Chryostom he is invoked and
honoured in iconography as one of the four Eastern doctors of the
Church.