SAINT ALEXANDROS
19th Patriarch
of
The Apostolic See of Alexandria
Translated from "LES SAINTS D'EGYPTE", by R.P. Paul Cheneau
Saint Alexandros succeeded to saint Achillas. He was elected patriarch of Alexandria in 313. If the bloody persecution of Diocletian forgot him, we can rightly consider him as a martyr of two heretics, Melece and Arius, who filled his life with bitterness.
While the governors every day ordered new verdicts of death against the Christians, in the year 304, Melece, bishop of Lycopolis*, separated himself from the Church in a fanfare way. He was accused, and not without evidence, of having sacrificed to the idols in order to save his head, and was displaced by Peter, patriarch of Alexandria. Melece was pretending to follow him in the government of the patriarchal affairs.
* (The word Lycopolis means the city of wolves or jackals. It is the present Assiout. This town which was formerly called Osyout, the capital city of "Superior Iotep", was the primary sanctuary of the god Ouep-ouat, which was represented in the form of a jackal, the wolf of the desert; from which the name of Lycopolis came. It was the starting point of the caravans going to the Lybian desert and the Soudan.
"Lycopolis was one of the principal stations of the Nile Valley. It had temples where some goddesses which looked rather not fierce, were honored through some rites where dancers and courtesans held the first rank. The vicinity of Lycopolis and Cusae were exhibiting degrading debauchery. Even the cult exercises were rather orgies than devotion. They used to drink more wine in one day, than they did during the whole year. Quite naturally this repelling scene scandalized young Christians. Besides, a Greek was in the eyes of an Egyptian, that impure being toward whom he felt nothing but contempt. People refused to eat with him, and even to use his knife and his plate." (A. Gayet, "Coins d'Egypte ignorés", "Ignored corners of Egypt", p. 139)
Had he not, against the strictest ecclesiastical rules, and by his own authority, excommunicated the bishops who were established by the imprisoned patriarch? Melece did not appeal against his condemnation; but he simply dissociated himself and was contented to spread the poison of his calumny upon the diverse patriarchs who reigned during his life, Peter, Achillas, and Alexandros. When Arius appeared, the adepts of Melece did not follow his blasphemous doctrine, but nevertheless they stood besides him, because of their hatred which they felt for Alexandros.
Alexandros was an exemplary pastor*, who nourrished his flock with the purest doctrine of the Gospel.
* He was so reverent that he never read the Gospel while sitting, and without having first lighted a lamp. He was so mortified that in all his life he never cut his fast before sunset.
Far from being lacking in his task, and having an ordinary intelligence, he spoke eloquently and knew well how to stand against Arianism, the matter that attested a knowledge and a courage which were not common. It is possible not to have the scope and the powerful action of Athanassius, but not to be devoid of merit. The brilliant qualities of the great doctor more or less overshadowed, the more moderate ability of his predecessor: does not the radiant star of the day shade the more feeble light of the stars? Anyhow, the characteristic virtue of Alexandros was his meekness, his pleasantness which he knew how to push to the extreme limits of condescending; but under the silk velvet gloves, there was an iron hand: Arius famously experienced it.
Against the enemies of religion, who untimely disclaim the competence of the clergy and the orthodox writers, impartiality obliges to say that Arius was a very intelligent man; and what can this confession cost anyhow? Did not the Satan, who is damned, keep a thousand privileges from his superior nature? God had gifted the future abnegator of the divinity of His Son, as He did to the patriarch of Ferney*, with a very vivid and a very brilliant spirit; the wrong of both of them was to misuse it.
* (Voltaire was named after the name of this small town of the Swiss frontier in which he lived during twenty years of his life, from 1758 to 1778)
Arius was born in 280, some say in Cyrenaic*, others say in Alexandria.
* (or Lybia which became a roman province in 65 B.C.),
It is certain that soon this city knew him and saw him ministering as a priest. He had studied in Antioch*, under the famous Lucien* who was very straightforward in his heart, but much daring in his teachings.
* The famous school of Antioch was founded by the priests Dorotheus and Lucien, who later, both of them suffered martyrdom. Lucien was an old disciple of Origene at the School of Nicomedia. Many of their first disciples turned bad; let us mention among others: Eusebius of Nicomedia, Leonce of Antioch, Theoguide of Nicea, the heretic Arius. But there was a time of success, when some great men were students in that school. Among them let us mention St. John Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuete, Thedoret of Cyr, Isidore of Peluse, and Polychronius of Apamee. This school created a whole atmosphere of study, which happily penetrated the numerous monasteries of Syria. The most well-known of the students of the last period was Cassien, the future founder of the monastery of Saint Victor at Marseilles (cf. L. Pirot: in the Introduction to his work: "L'œuvre exégétique de Théodore de Mopsuete")
* Lucien (235-312) was a priest and a disciple of Paul of Samosate whose false doctrine he abandoned. He was a marvelous teacher. He suffered martyrdom under the reign of Maximin. St. John Chrysostom spoke out his panegyric in 387.
The disciple was the pride of his master. He was well informed in the worldly sciences. He had been brilliant in philosophy, and was excellent in dialectics. There was nobody who handled syllogisms like him. His morals were irreproachable. He was tall and thin. He had polite manners, and a pleasant conversation. His superiors, one after the other, were caught in his beautiful outside aspect. Contrarily, he was moving, shrewd, fame greedy, and he nourished high ambitions. He manifested a vivid passion for all new things and he showed an obstinate adherence to his personal ideas. These defects, one must confess, foreordain a man to the most serious divergence, and when this happens, they leave little hope for a sincere transformation. Moreover, such as all the dissatisfied, Arius was the declared enemy of all established power, for the single reason that he did not possess it. He secretly conspired against any authority that he had not in his hands, and he was benevolent towards whoever censured, rebelled, and broke off. Melece had his warm approval more than anyone else; but he was a crafty double-dealer whenever he saw that his ecclesiastic future was at sake.
Arius turned and presented to Peter such an extensive and humble subservience, that the latter ordained him a deacon. Soon after that, he forgot his apology and his promises, and he renewed his relations with the schism of Melece to whom he was attracted by his spirit of contradiction.
History relates that the illustrious patriarch Peter received the visit of Achillas and Alexandros when he was detained in confinement. After having predicted to both of them that they will follow him on the patriarchal throne, he said to them: "Beloved brothers, excommunicate Arius without hesitation, and never let him enter the church." The two visitors had heard and wept. Peter shed his blood for the sake of faith. But Achillas, when he became patriarch, let mercy triumph over justice. He let himself be stirred by the affected tears of the relapsed, and received him to the communion. He pushed his weakness to the point of ordaining him a priest, in spite of the disquieting well known events. In his desire to overcome evil forever by good, and to regain him, he ordained him as the spiritual chief (in our days we call it "hygoumenos") of the district of Baucalia*.
* This district was by the sea, at the place where St. Mark suffered martyrdom, in the vicinity of El Chatby.
The expression "Baucalia" comes from the old name of the lands that were in the vicinity of the village of Rhacotis, which, as everyone knows, preceded the name Alexandria, and which was its embryonic place. That land was specially in use by the armed coast-guards. Rhacotis was situated in the part of the present city where there is the district of Kom El Shogafa and the Muslim cemetery. All the lands around were fields, and that is why they were called Baucolia, or pasture, because the shepherds led their herds there.
God did not give time to the very simple and very righteous Achillas, to deplore his extreme forbearance; for he died after a few months on the patriarchal throne.
Alexandros followed him, to the spite of Arius. It is said, that Arius solicited this honor for himself, and in his deception and his ambition, he never forgave Alexandros his acceptance of the crown.
The newly elected patriarch strained to put the comforting balm upon the wound of which he was absolutely not the cause. He treated the pastor of Baucalia with honor and regards, to such a point that many reproached to him his excessive tolerance.
His first act was to write the name of the martyr Peter, his famous predecessor, in the sacred register. On the occasion of this solemnity, he invited all the clergy to his table.
While he quietly waited for the arrival of his guests, he perceived from the windows of his palace which were broadly opened over the sea, upon the golden sand of the beach, a joyful gathering of children, who strained in their innocent play to imitate the pontifical ceremonies. The scene was not casual, and it attracted his attention. He was eagerly interested. He noted scrupulously the gestures that were represented, and attained the serious conviction that they were accomplishing some sacred rite.
He called two or three of the clergy that followed him, and asked them to look to the side of the sea. Having heard their opinion, he gave them strict orders: feigning to see nothing, they would turn around, come back to the beach, talk confidently to the children, and bring them gently to the patriarchal palace. Alexandros received them with his charming kindness, inquired from them about their game, and made them relate to him in detail, without showing astonishment or adversity. On the contrary, he encouraged them in their narrative that was of a childish ingenuousness. These latter, were first timid, then little by little, they grew bolder, and swiftly became familiar. Then, completely tamed, they babbled, competitively adding details to one another. There was no more the shadow of any doubt: one of them, who was more intelligent and spontaneous than others, but serious and solemn at the convenient time, had imitated the bishop in his sacred function and had baptized many of his comrades who still were catechumens.
For the second time, Alexandros let the precocious administrator relate in detail the diverse phases of the ceremony. He asked questions and he was answered. He remarked that all the ceremonies were in conformity with the rites of the Church. He then sent away the children, giving them his blessings and some sweets. Then he informed his clerical men that they were not obliged to reiterate the Baptism that had been so seriously conferred.
The next day, he summoned to the palace the parents of the brave little folk who had played priests and bishops. He made to them an account of what had happened on the last day, and made them promise that they would give to the Church such sons who had prematurely exercised such holy functions. It is in that way, that Athanassius, who was so eager to serve God, took his place among the clerical people, in the same way that the prophet Samuel was brought up in the temple. He lived there during the years of his youth, and he was destined to wear the pontifical crown in his old years.
It is by this time that St. Alexandros began the construction of a splendid church in the vicinity of the port of Eunostos*.
* Eunostos means "good return". That port, which formerly was the least frequented, is the present great port. They entered it, from the path at the farthest of the east, that one which in the time of Bonaparte was called "the path of the Djermes".
St. Theonas, the 16th patriarch of Alexandria (282-300), had formerly constructed there an auditorium which had become ruined. (read his life in the 27th of August pages)
The new sanctuary was very wide and very richly decorated. It was dedicated to the Holy Virgin St. Mary and became the cathedral of Alexandria*.
*Nevertheless it kept its old name in the usual language: "the church of Theonas", because it was constructed by St. Alexandros to the honor of St. Theonas. It remained the cathedral during nearly a century. After the Arabic conquest, it became the mosque of the thousand columns. The Franciscan convent in the marine district is constructed on the same spot.
St. Alexandros also changed the temple which queen Cleopatra had constructed to Saturn, into a church that he dedicated to the Archangel Saint Michael*. He broke down the idol and made a cross out of its debris.
*This is the church that the historians call the church of St. Michael or the church of Alexandros. Its site was at the place of the present Municipality.
The patriarch St. Alexandros, in his zeal for the good of the souls, parted Alexandria into numerous circumscriptions. He ordained a learned priest to each circumscription, for the sake of the cure of the souls.
The apostolic success of the new prelate filled with joy the priests and the faithful, but it increased the jealousy of the hygoumenos of Baucalia, who could not repress his feelings. He started to examine all the steps and all the actions of his hierarchic chief. But whatever he exerted himself, he could not find in the conduct of the patriarch, anything that could be reprehensible. He had then, to turn to calumny, which is the poisoned weapon of the wicked. Satan had entered his heart, and with him the contemptuous pride that does never submit or surrender: that was his loss. While he wanted to bring new tribulations to Alexandros, he lightened inside the Church a terrible fire that devastated it in the East, and even in the West. He attacked the doctrine of the patriarch, who, according to the Scriptures and to all the tradition, taught that the Son of God is eternal, equal to His Father, and of the same substance. Arius shouted to exageration, ignorance, error: he was falling into Sabellianism.*
*The heresy of Sabellius (third century), who denied the Trinity and the distinction of three divine Persons. He sustained that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one same person under different names.
Arius taught that "to raise in that manner, the second Person of the Trinity, was to annihilate Him by confounding Him with the Father. The Son of God, such as he meant, did not always exist; but He was created like us, poor people, but before us! Moreover He could fall down into sin, like common men. But in spite of everything, as an adornment, He must keep His title of God, and we must render to Him the cult of adoration."
That was completely unsound reasoning: Arius who was blinded by pride, did not teach less than idolatry.
The priest of Baucalia began to instill his poison into particular meetings. His audience who were carefully chosen among the women who blindly admired him, was prone to acclaim him; did he not make a sensation each time he commented upon the Scriptures from the pulpit? He literally seduced with the inexhaustible resources of his imagination. His well-established reputation remarkably helped to the diffusion of his blasphemous ideas. The number of the attendance increased little by little. They were bewitched by the greasy words of the orator. They cheered his uncontested science, as well as his stirring expressiveness. Moreover, Arius who was cunning and courtly, skillfully arrived at pervading inside the monasteries of virgins. He gathered up to seven hundred people in some predetermined place. Seven priests and twelve deacons whom he had gained to him as disciples, accompanied him. Even some bishops let themselves be seduced. There is no need to say that those meetings were held in the utmost secret.
Soon however, the supporters became enough numerous to exercise their proselytism with less circumspection. Especially they recruited common people who have no time to think, and women who understand nothing of the subtle theological matters.
They abruptly said to the Christian women passing by: "Had you a son before engendering?" The negative answer left no doubt. Then they added with a triumphal accent: "Neither God could have a Son before engendering Him; therefore the Son is not eternal like Himself."
This argument which astounded people by means of opposing to them their own words, seemed peremptory; therefore the question of Arius was successful with the old aged women of Alexandria who often were more commendable for their rank rather than for their conduct. Is not corruption in faith a neighbor to light morals?
The priest of Baucalia spoke too much. The rumor of this new infatuation, which firstly was vague, soon became more precise, and pervaded inside many astonished families, who protested. The rumor ended inside the patriarchal palace. The last people to know, often are they not those who would be the most interested from the beginning? Whatever it may be, Arius had exceeded the measure. The proverbially sweet-tempered Patriarch St. Alexandros, then beseeched him to stop a teaching which alarmed the consciences, and which greatly troubled the faith of the loyal people. Arius defended himself by means of odd arguments. Alexandros judged that the moment had come when he should take a stand before the mercenary who wore the shepherd's clothes.
On a feast day, inside the Cathedral which was crowded, the patriarch made a homily about the divinity of Christ. Having the Gospel in his hand, he demonstrated the consubstantiality of the Word with the Father, in order to warn his folk against the error which was circulating. Arius was present. Being without respect neither for the holy place nor for the patriarchal authority, and in an access of a sacrilegious audacity, he stood up, challenged the patriarch, spoke, and disclosed the errors of his doctrine in all their bluntness. The meeting ended in a great disorder.
Alexandros heeded, may be a little lately, that the time of forbearance had lasted too long. He took the extreme means and convoked all the bishops of Egypt and Lybia in a Council (310). Nearly one hundred primate came to Alexandria. Arius appeared, and obstinately sustained his blasphemies. His pride was the more exalted as much as the opposition was commanding respect. He was condemned together with his sect to degradation. Excommunication was decreed against anyone who followed his heresy.
These salutary punishments of the Church did not at all stop the devilish zeal of the miserable priest who, being more waving than ever, complained injustice. He claimed against the toughness of his patriarch, and especially against a young secretary, a bad head and a haughty spirit, who made the good old man fanatical. He thus called upon the pity of the hearts, and continued to instill the error inside the minds.
However, the rigorous measures brought up their fruits, and if the culprit seemed to defy them, the people, who naturally has the right sense, ranked at the side of the so much sweet authority of his patriarch, and avoided the formerly pastor of Baucalia. He was pursued from every part, and thought it prudent to put the sea between a clergy that refused him and his encumbering person. He embarked towards Palestine. He did not stay idle there. He visited some bishops many times, he wrote several letters, and finished by gaining some of them to his cause.
Although the departure of the heretic was held secret, Alexandros was not late to know the plan of the runaway, and gave all his efforts to outwit it. He warned all the bishops of the region in order to put them on their guards and to denounce the error. It was due time. Many, who were already seduced by the good manners of Arius, had fallen into the trap. They confessed it in their answers to Alexandros.
These are some of them: Eusebius* of Caesarea, Makarius of Jerusalem, Asclepius of Gaza, Longinus of Ascalon, Macrin of Jamnia*, Zenon of Tyr*.
*Pamphile Eusebius was born about the year 268, and he died in 338. He was the bishop of Caesarea of Palestine. He attented the council of Nicea, but made some reserves that had the smell of Arianism. He provoked the exile of St. Athanassius and the calling back of Arius. He was very learned and very eloquent. His work "The Ecclesiastical History" in ten volumes, is the work of a critical and a well advised historian.
*Jamnia is a Cananean ancient town which belonged to the Philistins, then to the Jews, and finally to the Romans. It is situated on the road between Jaffa and Gaza.
*Tyr is now Sur. It is a town of Phenicia that was formerly famous for its commerce, its colonies and the industry of purple. It was founded by the Sidonians, and became the most important city of Phenicia. Its temples were very famous. The most well-known of its kings were Hiran who was allied to king David, Ithobal the father of the cruel Jezabel, and Pygmalion the brother of Didon.
Origene who died in 224, is buried in the ruined cathedral of the city. His bishop Zenon, the bishop of Tyr, was present at the council of Constantinople in 381. It was Zenon who ordained St. John Chrysostom as oghnostos (reader), and was his faithful friend. He died in 384.
One of the most relentless defenders of the error, was Eusebius of Nicomedia.* On the one part he exchanged a dogmatic correspondence with the patriarch of Alexandria, and on the other part he received Arius in the church. That precious sponsor attracted many bishops to his party*.
*Eusebius of Nicomedia was a Greek heretic. He was sometime bishop of Beryte (Beyrouth), and then bishop of Nicomedia. He took the defence of Arius at the council of Nicea. In order not to be dethroned he signed against his will the edict that condemned the heretic. Constantin exiled him in Gaule, then brought him back. He was one of those who persecuted saint Athanassius. It was he who administered baptism to Constantin on the bed where he died. Later on, during the rule of Constance, he made himself be named patriarch of Constantinople.
*Nicomedia is a city of Bithynia, which for a long time was its metropolis. Diocletian liked to stay in it. It had splendid monuments; and it was destructed by an earthquake on the 24th of August 354. Today it is Ismid by the sea of Marmara.
*such as for example: Eusebius of Caesarea in Palestine, Theodote
of Laodicia who was a doctor, Paulin of Tyr, Aetius of Lydda.
Here the author who is a catholic priest, tries to show that the pope of Rome had a supreme authority in all the Church. Therefore he says that Alexandros had not neglected his duty to inform "the supreme authority".
However Alexandros, before the progress of the revolting heresy, had not neglected to warn and inform St. Sylvester, the pope of Rome, and the patriarch of Constantinople. Some time later, the pope of Rome Libere when writing to the emperor Constantin, mentioned the letter of Alexandros to his famous predecessor. He said: "We have under our eyes the letters of Alexandros to Sylvester, in which he announces that before the ordination of Athanassius, he had excommunicated eleven priests and eleven deacons who were proselytes of the heresy of Arius."
Alexandros wrote also to the unconquerable defenders of the truth in the East: Philigone*, bishop of Antioch, and Eustathius* of Beria (Alep).
*St. Philigone, who formerly was an eloquent lawyer, became bishop of Antioch in 318. During the six years of his bishopric, he did not stop fighting against the heresy. He died in 384 and Eustathius of Beria came after him.
*Eustathius was born in Side in Pamphilia, not far from Adalia (which is today Eski-Adalia). He was bishop of Beria (Alep), before going to sit on the patriarchal throne of Antioch. He was deposed and exiled by the Arians and died in Thrace.
Thrace is the European region that is on the North of Greece and the sea Egea (the Archipelago). In the fourth century it was a diocese which included six provinces.
Arius and his band had counted upon the apathy and the weakness of an infirm old man. They saw a tireless athlete coming up before them, who was always ready to fight, and who looked for the least gestures of the enemy, in order to attack him and denounce his cunning and his criminal pursuits.
It is true that the deacon Athanassius followed the old patriarch. He was an incomparable fighter who would not be late to show his measure, and become the great Athanassius who is considered the strongest enemy of Arianism. But for the time being, he was in his twenties, seeming weak, and he perhaps inspired firmness, energy, enthusiasm, while keeping in his place at the second rank. He wrote his letters and treaties where his fiery soul passed.
Here again, the author tries to show that the Pope of Rome had a supreme authority in the Church. Therefore he says that when he received the letter of Alexandros, he advised the emperor to convoke the Council of Nicea.
When they received the letters of the patriarch of Alexandria, they were convinced that the march of the plague must be most rapidly stopped, and that there should be a shield against its terrible effects. That was also the opinion of the emperor who convened the council of Nicea*.
It is written in the Synaxaire of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the day of the 22nd of Baramuda:
"After that, Arius was exiled. He went to the king, the great Constantin, in order to complain from the pope Alexandros. The emperor ordered to convoke the Council of the three hundred and eighteen in Nicea; and it was assembled under the presidency of Alexandros who discussed with Arius, and confounded him, and then excommunicated him and whoever follows him."
The meetings began in June 325. At the center of the meetings, there was the emperor, sitting on a throne of gold:
"He was tall, beautiful, slender, majestic, wearing a purple robe which was sparkling with gold and precious stones" [F.Mourret: Histoire générale de l'Eglise, tome II, p. 41 (General History of the Church, Vol. II, p. 41)].
He had by his side the pope Alexandros, patriarch of Alexandria, and Hosius*, the bishop of Cordova* and friend of Constantin, representing Sylvester of Rome who was too old to go from Rome to Asia, and Eustathius, patriarch of Antioch, and Makarius*, patriarch of Jerusalem. Three hundred and eighteen bishops had come, nearly all of them from the East. The fathers of the Council praised St. Alexandros. He was a universally honored man, as well by the clergy as by the people. They praised his liberality, his eloquence, his justice; he was the friend of God and of men, merciful for the poor, good and meek toward everybody. Some called him our very holy colleague. He was the soul of the Council. He refreshed each one by his presence, and in spite of his age, showed a prodigious activity.
*Nicea is today Isnik, a city of ancient Bythinia, on the shore of lake Ascanius, south of Nicomedia. It was founded by Antigone, the son of Philip about 315 B.C. It was named Antigonia. It was later on named Nicea after the name of the wife of Lysimacus. It was a very important city. It had the privileges of the metropolis without being the capital city. It was the residence of the Roman proconsuls. In memory of the council, Constantin freed it from the juridiction of Nicomedia which was its rival city and of which it depended.
*Hosius or Osius was elevated to the see of Cordova in 295. He suffered the persecution of Maximian. He died at a very old age in 357.
*Cordova is a city in the south of Spain, on the Guadalquivir. It was the metropolis of the Maures at the time of the dynasty of the Ommayads. Its cathedral, which was an old mosque, has 850 columns.
*Makarius was the patriarch who was seated at Jerusalem at the time when the queen St. Helen found the Holy Cross. St. Helen was eighty years of age at that time. A double miracle happened through the true Cross, that was distinguished from the two other crosses (326). St. Makarius followed Hermon in 314. Saint Athanassius counted him among the greatest bishops in his century.
The limits of a modest biography would not possibly include a complete account of the impressive solemnities that happened on the occasion of these meetings. Among those who were sitting in this incomparable assembly, there were some who were wearing the halo of the martyrdom. They had escaped from the last persecution, and had come to avenge and acclaim that true Son of God for whom the blood of their veins had been shed. A special booklet is needed to sum up the works of the meetings, to count the doctrinal articles that were determined, and the disciplinary questions that were settled. On the other part: to describe the sophisms and the stratagems of Arius; and to evoke the tight argumentation of his terrible adversary, the young deacon Athanassius. must be considered outside the scope of this modest biography.
*Those who had escaped the last persecution were:
Paphnutius, the bishop of Thebaid, who was training a leg whose muscles had been cut, and had a punctured eye.
Paul, the bishop of Neocaesarea on the Euphrate, who had his hand burnt.
Potamon of Heraclia.
Amphion of Ephiphania (Hamah).
Let us hurry simply to say that the Council terminated in a true apotheosis. Constantin was then beginning the twentieth year of his reign. When he saw so much work that was useful to the concord of his subjects in the religious peace, he offered in honor of the fathers a banquet whose magnificence surpassed all that one could imagine. The imperial guard presented their weapons at the passage of the dignitaries. When they saw these nude swords which were drawn toward them as a sign of honor, many of them wept and remembered the sword of the persecutors, and shouted: "Is that a dream?" Constantin who was a fervent catechumene, could not dissimulate his joy and his pride. He went from guest to guest, embracing them, congratulating them, kissing the wounds of the confessors of the faith, and having for each one the lovely word that filled the soul with warmth and light. Eusebius of Caesarea's speech, (that we would call today: "toast"), went straight to his heart. Constantin answered with exquisite expressions, and, facing the success of that work for which he had so much worked, he very gently proclaimed himself "the bishop from outside". It is regrettable that later, he wanted sometimes to take care of "the inside".
All the fathers unanimously adopted the decrees of the Council. Arius was excommunicated and forbidden to stay in Alexandria. The reading of all his writings was prohibited. The emperor Constantin was excessively mortified by the obstinacy of the heretic and his open revolt against the declarations of the Council. He sentenced him to be exiled and ordered that all his writings should be thrown into fire.
As soon as the Council had ended, Alexandros returned to Alexandria. He was in a hurry to publish the infallible decrees of the Church in the city where evil had started.
When the disciples of Eusebius of Nicomedia, the friend of Arius, heard it, they implored Alexandros to listen to clemency and not to kick Arius out of the Church. But this time, Alexandros was inflexible. As such rigor was not customary for the patriarch, they threw the responsibility over his secretary Athanassius, who had participated in the meetings. Soon they nourished an inextinguishable hatred against him.
The next day of the Council of Nicea, Arius continued his dealings. He desired to come near to Constantin, and to gain him to his teachings. The emperor's sister, the intriguing Constantia*, the widow of Licinus*, had as director, a priest who was very clever, but was a fanatical disciple of Arius. He served as an intermediary. Constantia assumed the role of a lawyer and pleaded to her brother for "those innocent exiled": Arius, Eusebius of Nicomedia and others.
*Constantia, a widow, the sister of Constantin, the wife of Licinus, of whom she had a son whom she called also Licinus, was for a long time in bad terms with her imperial brother. After the death of her husband, she tried to come near to him. Eusebius of Nicomedia succeeded in entering into her favor and to make her the protector of Arius. When she was dying, her brother visited her and asked her if she had anything to solicit. "Yes", she said and she commended that Eusebius.
*Licinus was born in 260 in Dacia from humble peasants. He was the companion of Galerius in the army. He named him Augustus in 307 and gave him the government of Illyria. At the death of Galerius, he reigned in the East together with Maximin Daïa, and conqured Greece, Thrace, and Macedonia. In 313, he married the sister of Constantin, and became his partner from then on. He then turned against his former benefactors: Maximin and Galerius, and he killed their families. But soon, he attacked his brother-in-law and contested him. He was vanquished and lost his former conquests. Eight years later, he tried again, but he was defeated and compelled to resign. He was sent to Salonica, and finally he was killed under the disguise of a simulated revolt.
The emperor, whose soul was embittered, came back upon his verdict. The heretics were called back, and they signed a confession of faith, where cunning triumphed over the straightforwardness of the emperor. They could reenter their country in order to make their vengeance mature there.
When Alexandros arrived back to Alexandria, with the favor of the emperor, he did not receive Arius. The patriarch was shaking with horror at the mere idea of seeing him again. That energetic process humiliated and irritated the heretic. He appealed to Constantin who wrote to Alexandros a very severe letter. Athanassius also received a letter threatening him of snatching him away from his position. Neither Alexandros nor Athanassius modified their indignant attitude, and the complaints of Arius failed to bring up any fruit.
Alexandros died on the 17th of April 328. He had suffered very much and grew old. Before his death, he predicted to his faithful deacon that he will follow him on the patriarchal throne, and continue his work. He said to him: "You think of retiring into the desert after my death. I foretell you, that will not happen."
Monday, 16 April 2007
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