Difference between revisions of "Athanasius of Alexandria"

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[[Image:Athanasius.jpg|right|frame|St. Athanasius]]
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:<small> ''For other uses, see [[Athanasius (disambiguation)]]'' </small>
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Our father among the saints '''Athanasius of Alexandria''' (also spelled "Athanasios") was a bishop of Alexandria and major theological writer in the fourth century.  He is also called '''Athanasius the Great''' and '''St. Athanasius the Apostolic'''. He was born in 298 and died on [[May 2]], 373.  His [[feast day]] in the [[Orthodox Church]] is [[January 18]].
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[[Image:Athanasius.jpg|right|frame|St. Athanasius]] Our father among the saints '''Athanasius of Alexandria''' (also spelled "Athanasios"; from Greek, "immortal") was a bishop of Alexandria and major theological writer in the fourth century.  He is also called '''Athanasius the Great''' and (by the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic church]]) '''Athanasius the Apostolic'''. He was born in 298 and died on [[May 2]], 373.  His [[feast day]] in the [[Orthodox Church]] is [[January 18]].
  
 
== Life ==
 
== Life ==
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He was born to pagan parents. When he was in school he saw a group of Christians acting out services and when he asked to join them, they refused. From then on he declared himself Christian. The Patriarch at that time, Pope Alexander, predicted that he would eventually hold a great position.  
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He was born to pagan parents. When he was in school he saw a group of Christians acting out services and when he asked to join them, they refused. From then on he declared himself Christian. The patriarch at that time, Pope [[Alexander of Alexandria|Alexander]], predicted that he would eventually hold a great position.  
  
 
Before reaching the age of 20, Athanasius wrote a treatise entitled ''On the Incarnation'', affirming and explaining that [[Jesus Christ]] was both God and Man. In about 319, when Athanasius was a [[deacon]], a [[presbyter]] named [[Arius]] began teaching that there was a time before God the Father begat Jesus when the latter did not exist.  Athanasius responded that the Father's begetting of the Son, or uttering of the Word, was an eternal relationship between them, not an event that took place within time.  Thus began catholic Christianity's fight against the [[heresy]] of [[Arianism]].   
 
Before reaching the age of 20, Athanasius wrote a treatise entitled ''On the Incarnation'', affirming and explaining that [[Jesus Christ]] was both God and Man. In about 319, when Athanasius was a [[deacon]], a [[presbyter]] named [[Arius]] began teaching that there was a time before God the Father begat Jesus when the latter did not exist.  Athanasius responded that the Father's begetting of the Son, or uttering of the Word, was an eternal relationship between them, not an event that took place within time.  Thus began catholic Christianity's fight against the [[heresy]] of [[Arianism]].   
  
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Athanasius fought consistently against Arianism all his life.  As a deacon, he accompanied [[Alexander of Alexandria]] to the [[First Ecumenical Council|First Council of Nicea]] in 325, which produced the [[Nicene Creed]] and anathematized Arius and his followers. The [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic church]] maintains a tradition that Athanasius was the main author of the Nicene Creed, and has therefore given him the title of ''Defender of the Faith''.
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Athanasius fought consistently against Arianism all his life.  As a deacon, he accompanied Alexander of Alexandria to the [[First Ecumenical Council|First Council of Nicea]] in 325, which produced the [[Nicene Creed]] and anathematized Arius and his followers. The [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic church]] maintains a tradition that Athanasius was the main author of the Nicene Creed, and has therefore given him the title of ''Defender of the Faith''.
  
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On [[May 5]], 328, he succeeded Alexander as bishop of Alexandria, becoming the 20th Patriarch of the [[Church of Alexandria]], a position which he held for 45 years, 16 of which he spent in exile.  As a result of rises and falls in Arianism's influence, he was banished from Alexandria only to be later restored on at least five separate occasions, perhaps as many as seven. This gave rise to the expression ''Athanasius contra mundum'' or "Athanasius against the world". During some of his exiles, he spent time with the [[Desert Fathers]], monks and hermits who lived in remote areas of Egypt.
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On [[May 9]], 328, he succeeded Alexander as bishop of Alexandria, becoming the 20th Patriarch of the [[Church of Alexandria]], a position which he held for 45 years, 16 of which he spent in exile.  As a result of rises and falls in Arianism's influence, he was banished from Alexandria only to be later restored on at least five separate occasions, perhaps as many as seven. This gave rise to the expression ''Athanasius contra mundus, et mundum contra Athanasium'' or "While the world is set against Athanasius, Athanasius is equally set against the world." During some of his exiles, he spent time with the [[Desert Fathers]], monks and hermits who lived in remote areas of Egypt.
  
 
Athanasius is also the first person to identify the same 27 books of the [[New Testament]] that are in use today; up until his Easter letter, various similar lists were in use. However, his list was the one that was eventually ratified by a series of synods and came to be universally recognized as the New Testament [[canon]].
 
Athanasius is also the first person to identify the same 27 books of the [[New Testament]] that are in use today; up until his Easter letter, various similar lists were in use. However, his list was the one that was eventually ratified by a series of synods and came to be universally recognized as the New Testament [[canon]].
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He also wrote a biography of [[Anthony the Great]] that later served as an inspiration to Christian [[monasticism|monastics]] in both the East and the West. The [[Athanasian Creed]] is traditionally ascribed to him, though it is likely not his work.
 
He also wrote a biography of [[Anthony the Great]] that later served as an inspiration to Christian [[monasticism|monastics]] in both the East and the West. The [[Athanasian Creed]] is traditionally ascribed to him, though it is likely not his work.
  
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[[Image:StAthanasiusShrineinStMarkCathedralCairo.jpg|thumb|St. Athanasius Shrine (where the saint's [[relics]] are preserved) under St. Mark's Cathedral, Cairo]] The [[saint]] was originally buried in Alexandria. His holy body was later transferred to Italy. H.H. [[Pope]] [[Shenouda III (Gayyid) of Alexandria|Shenouda III]] restored the [[relics]] of St. Athanasius to Egypt on [[May 15|15 May]] 1973 [http://www.avarewase.org/en/map/athanas.htm], after his historical visit to the Vatican and meeting with H.H. Pope Paul VI. The relics of St. Athanasius the Great of Alexandria are currently preserved under the new St. [[Apostle Mark|Mark]] [[Coptic]] Orthodox Cathedral in Deir El-Anba Rowais, Abbassiya, Cairo, Egypt.
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Athansius was also the first to introduce the forty-day Lent to the Greek Churches in Egypt through his writing of Festal Letter XII around 337.
  
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[[Image:StAthanasiusShrineinStMarkCathedralCairo.jpg|thumb|St. Athanasius [[Shrine]] (where the saint's [[relics]] are preserved) under St. Mark's Cathedral, Cairo]] The [[saint]] was originally buried in Alexandria. His holy body was later transferred to Italy. [[Pope]] [[Shenouda III (Gayyid) of Alexandria|Shenouda III]] restored the [[relics]] of St. Athanasius to Egypt on [[May 15|15 May]] 1973,<ref>[http://www.avarewase.org/en/map/athanas.htm  Saint Athanasius]</ref> after his historical visit to the Vatican and meeting with Pope Paul VI. The relics of St. Athanasius the Great of Alexandria are currently preserved under the new St. [[Apostle Mark|Mark]] [[Coptic]] Orthodox Cathedral in Deir El-Anba Rowais, Abbassiya, Cairo, Egypt.
  
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[[Image:St. Athanasius.gif|right|frame|St. Athanasius Coptic Icon]]
 
 
The following is a [[troparion]] (hymn) to St. Athanasius sung in some Orthodox churches:
 
The following is a [[troparion]] (hymn) to St. Athanasius sung in some Orthodox churches:
 
: ''O holy father Athanasius,
 
: ''O holy father Athanasius,
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: ''by insisting that the Father and the Son are equal in essence.
 
: ''by insisting that the Father and the Son are equal in essence.
 
: ''O venerable father, beg Christ our God to save our souls.
 
: ''O venerable father, beg Christ our God to save our souls.
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{{start box}}
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{{succession|
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before=[[Alexander of Alexandria|Alexander]]|
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title=[[Patriarch of Alexandria]]|
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years=326-373|
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after=[[Peter II of Alexandria|Peter II]]|}}
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{{end box}}
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==Reference==
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<references />
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===Works by St. Athanasius===
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* ''On the Incarnation''
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* Against the Heathen, ''Contra Gentes''
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* '''History of the Arians''', ''Historia Arianorum ad Monachos''
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* Against the Arians, ''Orationes contra Arianos IV''
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* Life of Antony, ''Vita Antoni.''
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* Defence of Dionysius, ''De Sentenia Dionysii''
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* [http://www.anastasis.org.uk/psalm_commentary.htm ''Commentary on the Book of Psalms'' - Introduction] Home Page of the Monastery of Saint Andrew the First Called - Manchester, England.
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** [http://www.anastasis.org.uk/psalm_22.htm Psalm 22]
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** [http://www.anastasis.org.uk/psalm_86.htm Psalm 86]
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
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* [http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-04/TOC.htm Background information and writings]
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*[http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-04/TOC.htm Background information and writings]
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* [http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/9_7.html#1 The Departure of St. Athanasius the Apostolic the 20th. Pope of Alexandria] (Coptic)
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*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=100219 St Athanasius the Great the Archbishop of Alexandria] ([[OCA]])
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*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/a/pha14.htm St. Athanasios the Great Icon and Story]
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*[http://goarch.org/chapel/saints/391 Athanasios & Cyril, Patriarchs of Alexandria] ([[GOARCH]])
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*[http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/my.html?month=January&day=18 Saint Athanasius the Great, Archbishop of Alexandria] (''[[Prologue of Ohrid]]'')
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*[http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/9_7.html#1 The Departure of St. Athanasius the Apostolic the 20th. Pope of Alexandria] (Coptic)
  
 
[[Category:Bishops]]
 
[[Category:Bishops]]
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[[Category:4th-century bishops]]
 
[[Category:Church Fathers]]
 
[[Category:Church Fathers]]
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[[Category:Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers]]
 
[[Category:Patriarchs of Alexandria]]
 
[[Category:Patriarchs of Alexandria]]
 
[[Category:Saints]]
 
[[Category:Saints]]
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[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
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[[Category:4th-century saints]]
  
 
[[ar:أثناسيوس السكندري]]
 
[[ar:أثناسيوس السكندري]]
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[[el:Μέγας Αθανάσιος]]
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[[fr:Athanase le Grand‎]]
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[[mk:Свети Атанасиј Велики]]
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[[ro:Atanasie al Alexandriei]]

Latest revision as of 14:27, June 14, 2016

For other uses, see Athanasius (disambiguation)
St. Athanasius
Our father among the saints Athanasius of Alexandria (also spelled "Athanasios"; from Greek, "immortal") was a bishop of Alexandria and major theological writer in the fourth century. He is also called Athanasius the Great and (by the Coptic church) Athanasius the Apostolic. He was born in 298 and died on May 2, 373. His feast day in the Orthodox Church is January 18.

Life

He was born to pagan parents. When he was in school he saw a group of Christians acting out services and when he asked to join them, they refused. From then on he declared himself Christian. The patriarch at that time, Pope Alexander, predicted that he would eventually hold a great position.

Before reaching the age of 20, Athanasius wrote a treatise entitled On the Incarnation, affirming and explaining that Jesus Christ was both God and Man. In about 319, when Athanasius was a deacon, a presbyter named Arius began teaching that there was a time before God the Father begat Jesus when the latter did not exist. Athanasius responded that the Father's begetting of the Son, or uttering of the Word, was an eternal relationship between them, not an event that took place within time. Thus began catholic Christianity's fight against the heresy of Arianism.

Athanasius fought consistently against Arianism all his life. As a deacon, he accompanied Alexander of Alexandria to the First Council of Nicea in 325, which produced the Nicene Creed and anathematized Arius and his followers. The Coptic church maintains a tradition that Athanasius was the main author of the Nicene Creed, and has therefore given him the title of Defender of the Faith.

On May 9, 328, he succeeded Alexander as bishop of Alexandria, becoming the 20th Patriarch of the Church of Alexandria, a position which he held for 45 years, 16 of which he spent in exile. As a result of rises and falls in Arianism's influence, he was banished from Alexandria only to be later restored on at least five separate occasions, perhaps as many as seven. This gave rise to the expression Athanasius contra mundus, et mundum contra Athanasium or "While the world is set against Athanasius, Athanasius is equally set against the world." During some of his exiles, he spent time with the Desert Fathers, monks and hermits who lived in remote areas of Egypt.

Athanasius is also the first person to identify the same 27 books of the New Testament that are in use today; up until his Easter letter, various similar lists were in use. However, his list was the one that was eventually ratified by a series of synods and came to be universally recognized as the New Testament canon.

He also wrote a biography of Anthony the Great that later served as an inspiration to Christian monastics in both the East and the West. The Athanasian Creed is traditionally ascribed to him, though it is likely not his work.

Athansius was also the first to introduce the forty-day Lent to the Greek Churches in Egypt through his writing of Festal Letter XII around 337.

St. Athanasius Shrine (where the saint's relics are preserved) under St. Mark's Cathedral, Cairo
The saint was originally buried in Alexandria. His holy body was later transferred to Italy. Pope Shenouda III restored the relics of St. Athanasius to Egypt on 15 May 1973,[1] after his historical visit to the Vatican and meeting with Pope Paul VI. The relics of St. Athanasius the Great of Alexandria are currently preserved under the new St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Deir El-Anba Rowais, Abbassiya, Cairo, Egypt.

The following is a troparion (hymn) to St. Athanasius sung in some Orthodox churches:

O holy father Athanasius,
like a pillar of orthodoxy
you refuted the heretical nonsense of Arius
by insisting that the Father and the Son are equal in essence.
O venerable father, beg Christ our God to save our souls.


Succession box:
Athanasius of Alexandria
Preceded by:
Alexander 		Patriarch of Alexandria
326-373 		Succeeded by:
Peter II
Help with box



Reference

  1. ↑ Saint Athanasius

Works by St. Athanasius

  • On the Incarnation
  • Against the Heathen, Contra Gentes
  • History of the Arians, Historia Arianorum ad Monachos
  • Against the Arians, Orationes contra Arianos IV
  • Life of Antony, Vita Antoni.
  • Defence of Dionysius, De Sentenia Dionysii
  • Commentary on the Book of Psalms - Introduction Home Page of the Monastery of Saint Andrew the First Called - Manchester, England.

External links

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