Athanasius of Alexandria

Who they were

Athanasius was born around 295 at Alexandria to a Christian family. As a boy he saw the courage of the martyrs under Diocletian and the weakness of those who lapsed. He learned from St Anthony of the desert that to understand God's Word one needs a pure life as well as study, and later wrote Anthony's life.

As a deacon he attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 with his bishop Alexander, whom he succeeded. For the rest of his life he defended the Council's faith that the Son is truly God against the Arians, who had the emperors' support; he was deposed and exiled again and again, and returned to Alexandria in 346 to a triumph, the people spreading cloaks and palms before him. St Basil saw in him the one man with 'care for all the Churches'. He died on 2 May 373.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: Athanasius has been honoured as a saint since his death. He is a Doctor of the Church.

Why that counted as sanctity

Athanasius stood firm, through exile after exile, for the truth that Jesus Christ is God made man, because without it the Incarnation and our salvation mean nothing. He joined that fight for doctrine to a holy life and spread the monastic ideal of St Anthony. St Basil called him 'a great and apostolic soul'.

Connected on this site

• Epiphanius of Salamis Saint Influenced by them
• Pope Alexandros of Alexandria Saint Teacher
  “He also mentored his successor, Athanasius of Alexandria, who would become an important Church Father and advocate of the Nicene position against the Arians.” — Wikipedia
• Zeno of Verona Saint Pupil
• Amun Saint
  “He was one of the most venerated ascetics of the Nitrian Desert, and Athanasius of Alexandria mentions him in his life of Anthony the Great.” — Wikipedia
• Anthony the Great Saint
  “The biography of Anthony's life by Athanasius of Alexandria helped to spread the concept of Christian monasticism, particularly in Western Europe via its Latin translations.” — Wikipedia
• Athanasius I Saint
  “Athanasius I of Alexandria (c.” — Wikipedia
• Basil of Caesarea Saint
  “Athanasius is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Church of the East, the Anglican Communion, and Lutheranism and is traditionally honored as one of the four Great Greek Church Fathers along with Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, and John Chrysostom.” — Wikipedia
• Gregory of Nazianzus Saint
  “Along with them and Athanasius of Alexandria he is also regarded by the Catholic Church as one of the four Great Greek Church Fathers.” — Wikipedia
• John Chrysostom Saint
  “Athanasius is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Church of the East, the Anglican Communion, and Lutheranism and is traditionally honored as one of the four Great Greek Church Fathers along with Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, and John Chrysostom.” — Wikipedia
• Meletius of Antioch Saint
  “There are contrasting views about his theological position: on the one hand, he was exiled three times under Arian emperors; on the other, he was strongly opposed by those faithful to the memory of the staunchly pro-Nicene Eustathius of Antioch, whom the synod of Melitene deposed for his Homoousianism, which they…” — Wikipedia
• Philip of Agira Saint
  “Traditionally, through the writings ascribed to Athanasius of Alexandria, it is maintained that Philip of Agira is a saint of the 1st century, born in the year 40 in Cappadocia (modern Turkey) and died as a hieromartyr on 12 May 103.” — Wikipedia
• Pope Peter II of Alexandria Saint
  “He was a disciple of Athanasius of Alexandria who designated him as his successor before his death in 373.” — Wikipedia