Historical Figures Codexery

Athanasius of Alexandria

Trinitarian theologian, patriarch of Alexandria, exiled five times.

Athanasius of Alexandria was a Christian theologian and the 20th patriarch of Alexandria, serving intermittently for 45 years.[1] He is venerated as a saint in multiple Christian traditions and is considered one of the four Great Greek Church Fathers.[2] Athanasius' life was defined by his opposition to Arianism and his conflicts with a series of Roman emperors.[3]

Quick Facts

Church
Early Church
Born
c. 296–298
Died
2 May 373 (aged 75–77)
Birthplace
Alexandria, Roman Egypt
Feast day
  • 7 Pashons (Coptic Christianity)
  • 2 May (Western Christianity)
  • 18 January (Byzantine Christianity)
Attributes
  • Bishop arguing with a pagan
  • bishop holding an open book
  • bishop standing over a defeated heretic (Arius)
Shrine
  • Church of San Zaccaria in Venice
  • Italy
  • and Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo
  • Egypt
Predecessor
Alexander

Facts from the source article.

Life and work

Athanasius was born to a Christian family in Alexandria or the nearby Nile Delta between 293 and 298.[4] He spent his third exile in the desert of Upper Egypt for six years, living among monks and writing works such as his Four Orations against the Arians.[5] According to the Orthodox Church, Athanasius was born around the year 297.[6][7] Athanasius was consecrated bishop in 328, according to one source, or in 326 according to another, at about thirty years of age.[8][9]

Athanasius died in 373 at the age of seventy-six.[6]

What the cited sources add

The Catholic Online account states Athanasius received an education in Christian doctrine, Greek literature, philosophy, rhetoric, and jurisprudence.[9] The Christian Classics Ethereal Library describes Athanasius as accessible to all, slow to anger, and effective in discourse and action.[10] The Christian Classics Ethereal Library notes that Athanasius may have learned grammar, logic, and rhetoric at the catechetical school of Alexandria.[10] Forbes' biography describes how Athanasius, while still a young secretary, stayed among the monks in the desert of Egypt, and his soul was inspired by their holiness.[11]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Athanasius of Alexandria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Laos, "Methexiology: Philosophical Theology and Theological Philosophy for the Deification of Humanity", Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2016, p. 217 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Athanasius of Alexandria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; "The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church", Oxford University Press, 2013, p. 91–92; Gallagher, Edmon L. "Origen via Rufinus on the New Testament Canon." New Testament Studies 62.3 (2016): 461-476.; Michael J. Kruger, "What is the Earliest Complete List of the Canon of the New Testament?", 19 October 2015; Online, "St. Athanasius – Saints & Angels", Catholic Online; "Online Chapel – Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America", www.goarch.org (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Athanasius of Alexandria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "First Council of Nicaea" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Athanasius of Alexandria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "St. Athanasius the Great the Patriarch of Alexandria", oca.org (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Athanasius of Alexandria" (CC BY-SA 4.0) en.wikipedia.org
  6. "St. Athanasius the Great the Patriarch of Alexandria", oca.org. facts only, no text reused. oca.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Athanasius of Alexandria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; "St. Athanasius the Great the Patriarch of Alexandria", oca.org (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Athanasius of Alexandria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: T. Gilmartin, Manual of Church History, Vol. 1. Ch XVII, 1890. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Online, "St. Athanasius – Saints & Angels", Catholic Online. facts only, no text reused. catholic.org
  10. "St. Athanasius – Christian Classics Ethereal Library", www.ccel.org. facts only, no text reused. ccel.org
  11. Forbes, "Saint Athanasius: The Father of Orthodoxy", R. & T. Washbourne, Ltd., 1919. facts only, no text reused. gutenberg.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Athanasius of Alexandria (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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