Saint Eulogius of Alexandria
Saint Eulogius of Alexandria (born c. 540 AD in Antioch, Syria; died February 13, 607 AD in Alexandria, Egypt) was the Patriarch of Alexandria and a distinguished theologian who defended the Council of Chalcedon against both the Monophysites and the Nestorians. He was a close friend of Saint Gregory the Great, who corresponded with him warmly and called him one of the great lights of the Church. He wrote extensively against heresy and was recognized as a Father of the Church in the East. His feast day is September 13.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Eulogius of Alexandria
| Saint Eulogius of Alexandria | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | September 13 |
| Profession | Monk; Patriarch of Alexandria; theologian; patristic writer |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church; Chalcedonian (Melkite) tradition in Alexandria |
| Patronage | Alexandria; patriarchs; theologians |
| Attributes | Patriarch's vestments; book of theology; scroll; pen |
| Birthplace | Antioch, Syria (modern Antakya, Turkey) |
| Death Place | Alexandria, Egypt |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes |
| Primary Shrine | Alexandria — the patriarchal see; his memory is primary here and in the Melkite tradition |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman Calendar; feast September 13 |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Eulogius was born around 540 AD in Antioch, Syria. He became a monk and rose to prominence in the Antiochene church; he may have been the abbot of a monastery in Antioch. In 580 AD, Emperor Justin II appointed him Patriarch of Alexandria — one of the five great patriarchal sees of the ancient church.
Alexandria was a city deeply divided by the Christological controversies of the 5th and 6th centuries: between those who accepted the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) — which defined Christ as having two natures (divine and human) in one person — and the Monophysites (including the Coptic church), who held that Christ had one nature. Eulogius was a staunch Chalcedonian. He wrote extensively against both Monophysite and Nestorian positions.
His surviving works include:
- Treatises against the Monophysites (several, now partly lost)
- Treatises against the Nestorians
- A refutation of the Agnoetists (who held that Christ was ignorant of certain things)
- Sermons
His most important surviving works are known to us largely through the summaries of Photius of Constantinople in the Bibliotheca.
He was in close correspondence with Saint Gregory the Great, Pope of Rome, who deeply respected him. Gregory addressed many letters to Eulogius (preserved in Gregory's Registrum), consulting him on theological matters and sending him gifts. Gregory's famous statement about the English missionary — Non Angli sed Angeli (Not Angles but Angels) — appears in a letter to Eulogius reporting on the progress of the mission to England under Saint Augustine of Canterbury.
Eulogius died on February 13, 607. His feast day is September 13 in the Western calendar.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Antioch, Syria (modern Antakya, Turkey)
Death location: Alexandria, Egypt
Notable location: His patriarchal see; he served as Patriarch of Alexandria from 580 until his death in 607; Alexandria was one of the five great sees (pentarchy) of the early church (Alexandria, Egypt)
Notable location: His birthplace; he was a monk and probably abbot in Antioch before being called to Alexandria by Emperor Justin II (Antioch, Syria)
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Feast day
September 13
Veneration
Saint Eulogius of Alexandria is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church with a feast day on September 13.
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