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Alexander of Jerusalem
Christian bishop and saint
SaintResearchedAncient RomePre-congregation
Feast: 18 March (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
200
Died
251
verified
Beatified
—
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
By tradition
recognised before formal processes began
Who they were
Alexander, a bishop in Cappadocia, was imprisoned for his faith, then made coadjutor to the aged Bishop of Jerusalem. He ordained Origen priest and built a famous library at Jerusalem.
In the persecution of Decius, old as he was, he was taken prisoner to Caesarea and cruelly tortured; wild beasts would not harm him, and he died in prison in 251.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
An aged bishop who died in chains for the faith.
Connected on this site
- Clement of Alexandria Saint“Among his pupils were Origen and Alexander of Jerusalem.” — Wikipedia
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Alexander of Jerusalem
- Wikidata Q724702 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Alexander of Jerusalem (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.