Saint Alexander of Alexandria
Saint Alexander of Alexandria (born c. 250 AD; died April 17, 328 AD in Alexandria, Egypt) was the nineteenth Bishop of Alexandria and one of the central figures in the Arian controversy—the great theological debate over the nature of Christ that convulsed the Church in the early fourth century. He presided over the local Alexandrian synod that first condemned Arianism (c. 318 AD) and was the bishop who brought Athanasius to prominence as his deacon and eventual successor. He attended and played a leading role at the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD), where the Arian heresy was formally condemned and the Nicene Creed was formulated. His feast day is February 26.
Alexander of Alexandria is the man without whom neither the anti-Arian cause nor Athanasius himself might have prevailed. By identifying the Arian controversy as a matter of fundamental theological importance from its earliest stages, by gathering ecclesiastical consensus against Arius before the Council of Nicaea, and by forming and promoting Athanasius as his successor, Alexander established the foundation on which Athanasius spent his career defending the faith defined at Nicaea.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Alexander Of Alexandria
| Saint Alexander of Alexandria | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | February 26 |
| Profession | Bishop; Theologian |
| Rel. Affiliation | Patriarchate of Alexandria (early) |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; book; scroll (the Nicene Creed) |
| Birthplace | Alexandria, Roman Egypt (present-day Alexandria, Egypt) |
| Death Place | Alexandria, Roman Egypt |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Birth
Alexander was born around 250 AD in Alexandria, the great center of Hellenistic and then Christian learning in Egypt. He served in the Alexandrian church under his predecessors and became one of the most learned members of that community, formed in the great catechetical tradition associated with Clement of Alexandria and Origen.
Occupation
Alexander became Bishop of Alexandria around 312–313 AD, taking the see at the end of the Diocletianic Persecution and at the beginning of the new era inaugurated by Constantine's Edict of Milan (313 AD). He governed the most important see in the Eastern half of the Church—Alexandria was the intellectual and theological powerhouse of early Christianity—at precisely the moment when the most serious theological controversy of the first millennium was beginning.
Around 318 AD, a priest of Alexandria named Arius began teaching that the Son of God was not co-eternal with the Father but was a created being—the greatest of creatures, but still a creature, not God in the fullest sense. This teaching, which came to be called Arianism, was enormously attractive because of its apparent philosophical reasonableness and the talent and energy of its proponent. Alexander recognized immediately that Arian teaching was incompatible with the Christian faith as it had been understood and lived—particularly as it was expressed in baptism and in the Eucharistic worship of the Church—and convened a synod of approximately one hundred Egyptian and Libyan bishops that condemned the Arian teaching and deposed Arius.
Alexander then wrote to bishops throughout the Church explaining the Arian teaching and the reasons for its condemnation, seeking to build consensus for the anti-Arian position. When Emperor Constantine convened the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD to resolve the controversy that was threatening to divide the Church and the Empire, Alexander attended with his young deacon Athanasius as his theological adviser. The council condemned Arianism and formulated the Nicene Creed—the profession of faith that declared the Son "of one substance with the Father" (Greek: homoousios)—language that embodied the anti-Arian position.
Alexander governed the Alexandrian church until his death in 328 AD, dying only a few years after the triumph of Nicaea. His last act was to designate Athanasius as his successor—a decision that would shape the subsequent half-century of Church history.
Death
Saint Alexander of Alexandria died on April 17, 328 AD, in Alexandria, having governed the see for approximately fifteen years and having played a decisive role in securing the condemnation of Arianism at Nicaea. He died three years after the Council of Nicaea, before the great Arian reaction that would dominate the next generation could erase its gains.
Significant events
- Became Bishop of Alexandria c. 312–313 AD.
- Presided over the Alexandrian synod that first condemned Arianism, c. 318 AD.
- Wrote to bishops throughout the Church explaining the Arian error and seeking consensus.
- Attended the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD) with his deacon Athanasius; the council condemned Arianism.
- Designated Athanasius as his successor before his death.
- Died April 17, 328 AD in Alexandria; feast established on February 26.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Alexandria, Roman Egypt (present-day Alexandria, Egypt)
Death location: Alexandria, Roman Egypt
Notable location: City he governed as bishop for 13 years (Alexandria, Egypt)
Notable location: Site of the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD) where he was a key participant (Nicaea (present-day Iznik), Bursa Province, Turkey)
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Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Alexander of Alexandria have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Alexander of Alexandria, February 26th | Under 5 minutes | Saint of the Day |
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Canonization
Canonization
Saint Alexander of Alexandria is venerated as a canonized saint through the ancient process of universal veneration, confirmed by his inclusion in the Roman Martyrology and in the martyrologies of the Eastern Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic traditions.
Miracles
No specific miracles have been authenticated through the modern Congregation for the Causes of Saints process.
Feast day
February 26
Veneration
Saint Alexander of Alexandria is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on February 26. He is also commemorated in the Eastern Orthodox Church (feast May 29), the Coptic Orthodox Church, and the Eastern Catholic Churches. He is honored as a father of the Church, a defender of Nicene orthodoxy, and the bishop who formed and promoted Athanasius the Great.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.
Books
Written about the saint
- Books about the Arian controversy and the Council of Nicaea
- John Henry Cardinal Newman, The Arians of the Fourth Century (1833) — the classic account of the Arian controversy including Alexander's role.
Written by the saint
- Two letters of Alexander survive, quoted in Theodoretus's Ecclesiastical History and other sources.