Saint Athanasius Of Alexandria Essay

Saint Athanasius of Alexandria The title, Doctor of the Church indicates that the writings or preaching 's of a saint were useful to the church 's members at any age. Also, the doctors of the church are known for their "depth of understanding and the orthodoxy of their theological teachings." Among these men and women, considered one of the greatest and most important of the early church fathers is St. Athanasius of Alexandria. St. Athanasius was a strong supporter of Catholicism against Arianism, which was the cost of the hardships he faced throughout his life. Arianism is the belief that Jesus Christ is the son of God, but not the same person, which goes against the Church 's teachings about the Blessed Trinity. The name Athanasius comes from the Greek and means ' 'immortal", which describes his position in the Church 's history. St. Athanasius was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 296 A.D. to Christian parents. When he was younger, he was educated under the Bishop Alexander and in 316 he became a deacon and secretary to him. As a close collaborator, Athanasius took part with the bishop in the

In 328, Athanasius succeeded Alexander as Bishop of Alexandria, and Athanasius immediately showed that he was determined to reject any compromise with regard to the Arian heresy condemned by the council of Nicaea. Unfortunately, Athanasius found that Constantine was not concerned with the theological truth, but with the unity of the empire. His refusal to tolerate the Arian heresy was the cause of many trials and persecutions for St. Athanasius. At least five times between 336 and 366, Athanasius had to abandon his city and spend seventeen years in exile and suffering for the faith. After Athanasius fled, an Arian bishop, George of Cappadocia, was appointed the new bishop of Alexandria. But during his absence, Athanasius was able to sustain himself and spread the Nicene faith in the west. First at Trier, then at Rome until finally he was embraced by the hermit Anthony