introduction

On the second of May, the Holy Church commemorates the transfer of the remains of Saint Athanasius the Great and acclaims him with these phrases:

“You have become a pillar of right opinion, strengthening the Holy Church with divine doctrines, O High Priest Athanasius, because when you preached the equality of the Son with the Father in essence, you failed Arius, O righteous father. So pray to Christ God to grant us great mercy.”

“When you planted the doctrines of opinion, you removed the harmful thorns of worship, and you made the seeds of faith grow with the help of the Spirit. For this reason, we praise you, O righteous Athanasius.”

With these two troparias, the Church gives us a clear, concise idea of the life of this righteous man in its essence, because, through her living tradition, she ensures that her generations are raised in holiness, making her saints always standing before us, so that we can absorb their example and seek their good example, so that life within it becomes one continuous, moving stream that runs (like streams of grace), marking the past. In the present as a cohesive series of events that encourage repentance and encourage sound faith!

Our attention is drawn to this saint who spent forty-five years serving the “Word” (Logos) and defending his divinity. He particularly interests us because, thanks to his heroism and steadfastness, the Church passed a difficult stage that almost destroyed its existence and shook its foundations! A glimpse into his life may express more than his writings and more than any comment about the character of this mighty man.

The Church of Alexandria in the late third century

Athanasius was probably born in Alexandria around the year 295 or perhaps a little later into a devout Christian family. Saint Gregory of Nazianzus says: “From the beginning, he grew up in religious practices and a path of piety” (Sermon 21, 6). Alexandria, at the end of the third century, was a capital full of movement and activity, in which different civilizations branched out and diverse intellectual currents emerged. It was a prosperous port in which peoples from multiple countries mixed, and a center of science and culture with a refined society that loved to learn, discuss, and debate. Christianity grew there in a strange way and spread brilliantly, shining names: Plotinus the philosopher, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen the eloquent. It was the cradle of philosophy, logical research, and the flourishing of human thought in all aspects.

As for the Church of Alexandria, it is also superior, as it has its own school and teachers. Its archbishop manages the affairs of all of Egypt up to the borders of present-day Libya. He presides over about a hundred bishops and is called “Pope of Africa.” It is a living church that teaches and preaches, baptizes and celebrates the Lord’s feasts. It enjoys tranquility after the persecutions have faded for a while, and it thrives in security and stability. This bliss lasted until the year 303, when Emperor Diocletian, the last persecutor known to history, suddenly came. (1)With a decree banning Christian gatherings and ordering the demolition of churches and the destruction of religious books! Blood was being shed again in various parts of the empire, panic spread, hearts were filled with fear and the universe was filled with fear! Athanasius, when he was ten years old, might remember something of this ugliness (because he was a veteran of the tormenting Church and the victorious Church), and it left misery and despair in his heart, but it gave him the firmness and courage of a martyr, and shaped his character to the point of ferocity at times! The historian Eusebius of Caesarea tells us how the authorities ordered that services be held in all pagan temples and that all citizens must bow before the altars and offer incense there. Anyone who refuses to do so will be punished bitterly: (...the eye will be plucked out with a dagger and its root will be burned, then the poor man will be pushed before the pagan altar and the censer will be handed to him so that he may prostrate himself before the gods, and then he will be counted among those who denied their Christianity!)...

These persecutions lasted for ten years, sometimes worsening and sometimes fading, until the death of Diocletian. What was the fate of those who denied their religion under pressure? This question caused a problem in the churches, especially in the Church of Alexandria. In the meantime, a group of Christians formed who considered themselves “pure,” that is, those who withstood the persecutions and did not deny. They were headed by Bishop Malasius, and they quarreled with Archbishop Peter, as they found that his position was tolerant towards those who were weak! Malasius and his followers split from the church. Soon, that saintly bishop, Peter, was martyred, and Pope Alexandros succeeded him, who was affected by the dire situation of the church and wanted to restore security to it by bringing back the dissident church members.

The emergence of Athanasius

Alexandros made room for this work as everything was well politically. After the death of the tyrannical emperor, one of his successors, Constantine I, who favored Christians, recorded important victories that made him the sole ruler of the western part of the empire. In the year 312, he agreed with his co-ruler, the Emperor of the East, to end the persecutions and give freedom to practice religions to everyone. According to Saint Gregory the Theologian, Athanasius did not spend a long time studying secular sciences and acquiring a general culture. But he undoubtedly had sufficient knowledge of ancient philosophy, especially Neo-Platonism. During his academic years, he was particularly interested in studying the Holy Bible, of which he knew all its secrets. Perhaps he studied at the hands of some of the famous Alexandria School professors. Around the year 313, Athanasius was finishing his theological studies. He caught the attention of his bishop, Alexandros, because of his sharp intelligence and breadth of potential. The bishop was interested in following up on Athanasius’s lessons, ordained him a deacon in the year 319, and made him his secretary. He took the initiative with him to arrange the affairs of the church, which had been weakened by all these disasters. But these efforts were not made safely because something else was preventing them: one of the priests of Alexandria named Arius, who claimed philosophy and austerity, was disturbing the serenity of the atmosphere by spreading opinions that were far from sound! He relies on the followers of Malasius to gain strength, and he expresses eloquent words and presents written proofs to prove that the Son, the second hypostasis of the Holy Trinity, is not God, but rather he is the first of all creatures and the highest in rank, that is, he is not equal to the Father in essence! Even if we call him a god, Arius says, he is not a god in reality, but only in name! He did not exist from the beginning, since He had a beginning and did not enjoy the essence or nature of the Father! Fake Origenian views? Distorted Plotinism? Anyway, definitely heresy! Alexandros was disturbed by this news, so he summoned Arius and interrogated him to verify what he heard. He became more and more disturbed and held a council that included all the bishops of Egypt, and sentenced Arius in the year 320. But Arius did not care about this ruling, but rather fled to Caesarea Palestine to sow seeds of doubt and harm. Its bishop, Eusebius, received him very warmly, even if he did not completely share his opinion, because an old enmity, or rather a competition, divided between the Alexandrian and Caesarean sees. Then he moved from there to Nicomedia in Asia Minor, where he found fertile ground to plant his heresy because its bishop, also called Eusebius, who had an important position and apparent influence in the country, shared his opinion without hesitation, but rather adopted the idea from its foundations, and the two of them have since become sworn enemies of Alexandros! At that time, confusion began to spread in the church, and bishops everywhere were confused and hesitant, not knowing which position to take... until political events occurred that stopped Arius in his tracks!

Council of Nicaea

In the year 324, Constantine defeated Licinius, Emperor of the East, after he converted to Christianity and became the sole ruler of the entire Roman Empire. The first mission he wanted to undertake was to spread peace and security in his vast empire, especially in Alexandria, where the Arians were rioting and sowing chaos. He decided to hold an ecumenical council in Nicaea, which he himself would chair (as a bishop from abroad). All the bishops of the universe, meaning about 225 bishops, met on July 25, 325. The first problem raised in this council was the problem of Arius and his dispute with Alexandros. Arius stood up in front of everyone and explained his theory. Once it was over, only seventeen bishops supported him, while the overwhelming majority came from Alexandros, Bishop of Alexandria. Arius was judged and the right opinion represented by Markles of Athens and Athanasius prevailed, and of course under the supervision of the emperor himself! In order for doubt to be dispelled forever, the text of the Constitution of Faith that we recite every Sunday in the Mass from the beginning to the phrase (and in the Holy Spirit) (2). This constitution is followed in the Council’s decisions by the following note: (Everyone who acknowledges that there was a time when the Word did not exist, and that the Son was created out of nothingness or from any other matter, and that he is a created being, changing or changing, the Church will greatly reward him!).

Let us now consider the importance of Athanasius during the Council. At that time, he was only a simple deacon accompanying his bishop. He therefore had no right to interfere in the dispute, but he was in fact the hero of Nicaea, as the issue was vital to him because he knew full well that Arius’ teaching ultimately wanted either to destroy the Son on whom Christianity was based, or to reach polytheism in acknowledging that the Word is a demi-god! Therefore, he worked like a bee near his bishop, preparing decisions for him, contributing to their text, and working enthusiastically and energetically to convince the bishops, to the point that he attracted the attention of everyone who found that his position was firm and bold. From that time on, he became a “pure man,” and his life after that was only about defending this constitution and ensuring that not a single word was shaken from it. As soon as the council ended, intrigues began to work to challenge its decisions, and Arius’ colleagues began seeking to bring him closer to Constantine. It did not take long until he was satisfied and began preparing himself to return to Alexandria after he signed a suspicious constitution that was close to the Nicene Constitution.

Athanasius, bishop

Alexandros, Archbishop of Alexandria, died, and it was natural for Athanasius to succeed him, because he demonstrated intelligence, cunning, and a prominent personality, and he had many admirers. The Council of Alexandria, held in the year 339, says: “All the people, all those belonging to the universal Church, gathered and unanimously and with one voice called for Athanasius as their bishop. They insisted on this opinion and continued to pray for this to Christ publicly for many days and nights.” On July 8, 328, Athanasius was ordained bishop of Alexandria by several bishops. He was only thirty-two years old. But this painter caused confusion and many problems. Hence, it becomes clear to us that history repeats itself and that strong figures like Athanasius, who submit only to the truth and Christ, arouse terror in weak souls because their integrity reveals their fragility! But the Holy Spirit is always working in the church to shepherd it and conquer evil forces. Therefore, despite the Arians and their support, Athanasius was elected bishop of Alexandria. Joy filled the entire city and church bells rang because he enjoyed great popular support in the city. The new bishop visited all parts of his diocese, including the desert, which led him to meet Pachomius (3) Who he respected very much and called him (the father of the Orthodox faith).

But the situation worsened and developed, and battles began to take place between the opponents, especially when Athanasius firmly refused to let Arius enter his city again and boldly wrote a letter to Constantine explaining to him the reason for his refusal. Complaints began to be sent to the emperor against the righteous bishop. They sought to woo him and accuse him of all kinds of charges in order to forcibly remove him from his diocese. A council was held in Tire in the year 335, in which all of Athanasius’ enemies were ready to defeat him. But Athanasius did not remain idle. After defending himself fiercely before the council, while the bishops were meeting to decide his fate, he fled secretly to Constantinople. It is said that he surprised Constantine on the way and asked to confront him! The Emperor summoned the bishops of Tyre. As soon as he discussed the matter with them, they accused Athanasius, claiming that he wanted to prevent the shipment of wheat from Alexandria to Constantinople, citing various lies. Athanasius was exiled to the city of Treves in the west, and this was the first stage in a series of painful incidents in the life of this saint. Apparently, victory had been achieved for Arius, but he soon died, leaving behind his heretical followers who did not stop fighting this hero of ours!

Athanasius remained without a successor, and the see of Alexandria remained vacant or an orphan until Constantine's death in the year 337. The empire was divided again among his children, with Constantius receiving the western part and Constantius the eastern part. But the latter tended towards the Arians. The two new emperors allowed Athanasius to return to his diocese. He returned after an absence of two years, took over the diocese with love, and became more active in organizing its affairs. He learned of the importance of ritual in fermenting dough, so he asked for the help of the fathers of the desert.

As for Athanasius’ opponents, led by Ephesius, Bishop of Nicomedia, the archenemy, they were not comfortable with this development and decided that this annoying person must be removed from his diocese by any means possible! They wrote to Pope Julius reminding him of the decisions of the Council of Tire. However, before the Pope sent an answer to their letter, they gathered in Antioch in the year 339 and deposed Athanasius, appointing in his place Bishop Gregory of Cappadocia. The new bishop entered Alexandria with the help of an army squad and stormed the churches amidst violent opposition from the people. Athanasius decided that it was wise to stay away from Egypt, so he went to Rome, where Pope Julius held a council that included one hundred bishops, who acquitted Athanasius of all the charges brought against him by his opponents. Then he held another council in Sardicia in the year 343, which restored Athanasius’ legal rights. But the decisions of this council were only implemented by force, that is, by the intervention of the emperors, as the Pope asked Constantius, the ruler of the Arabs, to intervene with his brother to return Athanasius to his diocese. The latter remained in Rome, learning about the West and spreading education there until the death of Gregory in the year 346, when he was able to enter Alexandria in victory.

Spiritual fertility followed by a third banishment

The period between the years 346 and 356 was a period of spiritual fertility for Athanasius and his diocese, during which he resorted to writing. Athanasius himself described the overwhelming spiritual renaissance that swept Alexandria in that period, which was summarized by the multiplication of the number of monks and nuns, an increasing demand by families for a life of asceticism and prayer, the creation of social service organizations, the establishment of spiritual meetings in homes, the spread of the spirit of peace and harmony throughout the parish, and the abundance of sermons and pastoral bulletins. Periodicity (4). He wrote his most important researches: (Against the Arians), (Decrees of Nicene), etc.. He often chose assistants from among the monks, appointed them as bishops, and assigned them various responsibilities. But as soon as his protector and Pope Julius died in the year 350, Athanasius’s enemies breathed a sigh of relief. With the death of his brother, Constantius the Arian became the sole ruler of the entire empire, and he wanted to put an end to this bishop who was becoming more powerful and active and passionately spreading the Nicene faith! He agreed with the new Pope Libarius to hold a council to study these matters. The bishops met in the city of Arles (in the year 353) and then in the city of Milan (in the year 355). At this last council, the emperor asked those present, under pressure, to sign a ruling against Athanasius. When he sensed their hesitation, he asked them to choose between denial or signing. Athanasius narrates that Constantius said: (What I want is the law!). Most of them signed, and everyone who refused was exiled. As for the pope who refused to sign, he was deported to the borders of Bulgaria!

Thus, while everyone was submitting under the rule of this fierce emperor, Athanasius represented the upright opinion that refused to submit to any person who did not derive his authority from God. Athanasius was sentenced to exile and a troublemaker bishop named George was elected in his place. The decision had been made and all that remained was implementation, and that was in the early year 356. Athanasius tells us how this happened:

(...It was night. All the people were awake in the church. Suddenly, the leader Sirianus appeared with 500 soldiers and surrounded the church so that no one could escape. As for me, I did not want to leave my people in the midst of this noise, so I sat on the pulpit and asked the deacon to read the psalm (The Mercy of the Lord Forever. Then I asked the people to leave the church. Immediately, soldiers entered the church and surrounded it from all sides to arrest me. The priests urgently asked me to flee, but I refused to leave the place until everyone present was safe They forcefully kidnapped me outside the church, and I bear witness to the truth that despite the army squads, I escaped without anyone seeing me, led by the spirit!)

Thus, for the third time, Athanasius was forced to leave his diocese. This time, he took refuge in the desert, away from the world and the church administration, settled in its global glories, afraid to confront the authorities and put an end to their interference! He went into the desert to confront the Son, the Incarnate Word, the Second Person of the Trinity for whom he had sacrificed his entire life! He enjoyed living with the ascetics who despised worldly glory and wealth in order to meet their living God in solitude and prayer, but he did not cut off from his diocese. Rather, he remained in constant contact with it, managing its affairs from afar and caring for it faithfully until he was nicknamed (the Patriarch Hidden Across the Wasteland).

During his absence, Emperor Contsanthus began launching a massive persecution campaign against everyone who remained in the Nicene faith, and councils were held that included all the heretics who tried to distort and distort the Constitution of Faith. There was a council in the city of Rimini in the west, and another in Seleucia in the east, in the year 359. Then the voice of righteous Hilarion, who was called Athanasius of the west, rose, saying: (Why do you hear that Christ, the only Son of God, is not a true God, and remain silent! Silence means agreeing to this blasphemy! ). But his voice was not heard and his impact was hidden in distant exile, just as many opposing bishops were exiled!

As for the Holy Spirit, who watches over His Church, he did not allow this extreme of tyranny, so he used political events to calm things down. At this same time, the battalions of the victorious armies in Gaul called for Julian as the new Caesar and marched under his banner to fight Constantius and usurp power from him. But the latter soon died in the year 361, allowing the victor to enter Constantinople.

The end of the life of Athanasius

The ungrateful Julianus! This is how history called him. As for historians, they called him Julian the Philosopher, and this name may be appropriate for him because he was a man of science and philosophy in addition to his military qualities. Julian demonstrated tolerance regarding religions and did not want to interfere in church matters. But he wanted to restore the heritage of paganism, so he established temples and structures again without offending other religions. As soon as he took power, he allowed the exiles to return to their country. Athanasius returned to Alexandria in the year 361. As soon as the people learned of this, they attacked Bishop George, and had it not been for the police, they would have killed him immediately! Joy returned to everyone's hearts and they welcomed their bishop with open arms! Thus, Athanasius continued his pastoral work as if he had never left his diocese: he preached, preached, and baptized without interruption! He was invited to a large council in the year 362, which was famous for his important doctrinal challenges.

But as soon as Julian heard about the bishop's activity, he became angry, especially when he learned that Athanasius, with his usual boldness, began baptizing prominent women from high society. So he ordered him to leave the city immediately, otherwise he would be punished harshly! And so it was at the end of the year 362.

So he fled to the desert again. During this period, he met Anthony the Great and became close friends with him. The solitary Anthony, who was growing in piety and perfection following the example of Elijah the Prophet, was ready to meet the face of the living God in a continuous presence in the midst of the barren desert. Throughout his life, Anthony remained the faithful and loyal friend of Athanasius, supporting him with his prayers and love. Then Julian was killed, so he returned to the city in the year 364, when Leo Eucanus assumed power. Then Leo Eucanus was killed, and Valancius, the Arian Emperor, assumed power over the East... Athanasius fled in the year 365 again... Then, for mysterious reasons, he was returned to his diocese... So the people went for the last time with a great and impressive procession to escort him from his place of isolation in the year 366. He handed over his vacant diocese to him.

Thus, Athanasius spent the rest of his life in peace and stability, caring for his diocese and managing its affairs with love and sincerity. Yes, he lost with age some of the enthusiasm and violence that characterized his youth to save the Church, as he used to seethe with anger when heretics won, and where he sometimes crossed the limits. In his view, Christ was in danger, so who could remain silent? Do we blame him if he sometimes identifies himself with Orthodoxy, considering his personal enemies as its enemies and his friends as its friends? Didn't he, in fact, represent the right opinion for nearly half a century, carrying the entire Church on his shoulders? Didn't he alone stand against the forces of the world that all united to overthrow him, carrying the banner of truth despite the hardships? Didn't he patiently and steadfastly bear exile five times because of his excessive love for Christ? …

This is how the life of this activist ended, peacefully and peacefully: he cared for his flock, followed up on his contacts with other churches, wrote books, and practiced various activities. He died on May 3, 373, and before his death he was ordained by his successor, Bishop Peter. Athanasius was the first bishop to receive popular honors without being martyred! He went with joy to commune with the word of God, who gave his life to serve Him with sincerity and love. He had spent twenty years in exile out of his forty-six years of episcopate. Athanasius died before achieving final victory, but victory was close, as Emperor Theodosius imposed the Nicene faith on the entire empire in the year 380. Thus, this man disappeared from Alexandria, whom his contemporaries considered as a mythological person surrounded by a halo, like a pharaoh of the fourth century... As for the Christians, they found in him (the corner of the church). ) through which God defended its steadfastness and preserved the right faith in it.

His education

The works of Athanasius do not have the splendor that characterizes the works of the fathers of the fourth century, in terms of the beauty of language and high style. However, it had an impact on the hearts of Christians in every era and Egypt. One of the sixth century priests wrote to his student: “If you find a passage from the writings of Athanasius and you do not have paper, write it on your clothes.”

We mention among his most important works the book (The Life of Anthony the Great), which was considered a model for writing the lives of the saints, and his research on (The Incarnation of the Word), which is considered one of the most prominent doctrinal works of his time, and his article (Against the Arians), in which he combats this heresy and clearly highlights the unity of the Father and the Son in terms of essence. etc…

As for the theology that we derive from his writings, it is easy and clear, as its author is convinced and wants to be convinced. He does not search for the beauty of style or the art of writing. He repeats and repeats and then returns to his basic idea to highlight it.

The basic idea of Athanasius that he wanted to demonstrate in all his writings is the following: (God was incarnated so that man might be deified). For him, incarnation is the foundation of Christianity: God loved man and did not want to leave him in his fall. He wanted to give him eternal life, so the repentance of the son of Adam alone was not enough... Reconciliation requires a complete sacrifice... it requires a total concession... a close fusion between the divine and human natures. This is what God accomplished through His Word! So how can Arius claim that the Word is not God? This heretic did not present the problem of (Logos) for the love of knowledge and in order to reach the truth. All that mattered to him in the matter was his personal interest, which led him to prefer darkness to light... If he had really searched the books, he would have found sufficient evidence proving the divinity of Christ and understood the meaning of this phrase: (And the Word He became flesh and dwelt among us. (The Word), who is God, was incarnated and established a bridge between creation and the Creator. The basic beginning came from God the Father, who wanted to perform this miraculous work. It is an act that goes beyond the logic of philosophy because Christianity is an investigation of God (who is not above matter), the God who sanctifies matter! God disdained the barriers that separated Him from the fallen creation and assumed a body for Himself in the womb of the Virgin. He did not enter into the body of a holy human being as the Arians claim... He assumed a body without being separated from His divinity. His love for us is what made him born and appear in a human body. But this incarnation did not change his divine essence and did not offend his majesty: (...through his incarnation he did not change, says Athanasius, but rather remained in his essence): His love for us was what prompted him to offer himself as a sacrifice to the Father. The death of Christ is necessary in order for us to be freed from the curse of sin that distorted the original image of God in us. As a result of the union of his body with our body, and his death and victory, we also die to sin and are victorious. Just as because of our relationship with the first Adam we inherited death, likewise because of our relationship with the man descending from heaven, we conquered death and inherited life!

According to Athanasius, salvation is a second creation, a new birth that makes us children of God: (Through his incarnation, he made us the children of the Father and God-man when he himself became a man!). This is the inevitable conclusion he reaches. Christ made us children of God and deified us when He took upon Himself this mortal body in order to elevate man’s sinful nature to God the Father and to share with him the immortal divine nature.

Throughout all of Athanasius's writings we feel this deep, steadfast faith and quiet assurance that gives him confidence in himself and in everything he says. He wants to prove the truth of what he said to his opponents, so he says: (A feature of religion is persuasion, not imposition). He collects clear, verified proofs and evidence to outwit his enemies and reveal the truth of what he is presenting.

His style is simple, coordinated, logical, and organized, and has some eloquence, even if it is far from ornamental. He is a man of faith. He explains the Bible and takes evidence from it to help him clarify his idea. He does not go too far in theological contemplation. He is a man of action with profound mental balance, and all the meanings of original Christianity are possessed deep within him! Although we sometimes find in him some contempt for heretics, this is due to his interest in doctrines, not individuals, as he fights every person who does not recognize the truth of Christ! Anyone who does not believe that Christ is an incarnate God who achieved our salvation to bring us into eternal life, arouses his anger and calls for attack! If Christ is not a true God who derives his divinity from God, how can he deify and save humanity? Whoever does not feel at his core the truth of the Word and accept it as a fixed issue that the Church has taught us through her tradition and her life, making it present in her holy mysteries, with a continuous miracle, this person, Athanasius, cannot be considered except as a heretic who is deviant from the life of communion in the Church.

The logical conclusion from Athanasius's teaching is that Christianity aims at asceticism that purifies the soul and elevates it to life within the framework of the Holy Trinity. If we unite with Christ, we achieve purity of heart, and if we become ascetic, we reach knowledge of God and enter into His love. The Trinity is a real, present reality that Athanasius feels as a living reality, not as theological ideas. The Trinity moves his being and ignites him within. He was one of the first fathers who expanded his defense, in addition to the divinity of the Son, of the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, Athanasius encourages the life of asceticism and monasticism, and in his book (On Virginity), he teaches that virginity aims to sanctify the soul and elevate it, to meet with God: asceticism is a path of holiness, a path of spiritual progress. His writings are not a theological treatise, but rather an expression of the soul's elevation to the Creator. Athanasius is therefore the ascetic bishop who watches over his children and teaches them the truth of religion with clarity and love.

The fathers who preceded Athanasius were either martyrs or philosophers. The martyrs were written by blood and yearned for divine love, while the philosophers relied on reason and logic to present faith. As for Athanasius, he does not belong to a philosophical school. His spiritual home is the church. His personality was formed in the offices of the episcopal administration. Athanasius liberated theology from Plato and his philosophy and built it on the incarnation of Christ. He is that man who gave the incarnation its importance in an era in which heresies began to infiltrate the Church in a satanic way to spread corruption in it.   

Yes, he has a strange face, this man who appeared at the beginning of the fourth century! He is a man of constant struggle and constant resistance. He is opinionated, intelligent, and active. He may be smooth in secondary matters, but in basic matters and fundamental issues he is firm and unwavering. His perseverance does not stop at partial success, and his determination does not abate at final failure! The subsequent development of the Church was based on the activity of this one man, on the violent conflict that characterized his life, and on the victory that was achieved after his death. If the Church continues to follow the decisions of the Council of Nicaea, the credit goes to this saint who taught the importance of the incarnation and the divinity of the word in Christianity and won it. He sacrificed his life so that this idea would be rooted in the minds of Christians throughout the generations... He is a man of courage and courage who took the position of the mighty when the church needed heroes.

Athanasius knew the bitterness of persecution and also knew the glory of the Church in days of peace and state protection. But glories did not intoxicate him, so he remained insightful and aware until the end. He freed the Church from the yoke of the emperors and paved the way on which the Church should walk. Had it not been for him, the nascent church would have fallen into the hands of the Arians, and had it not been for his steadfastness before the temporal authorities, the church would have been utterly destroyed! He is the hero of Nicaea! It is a symbol of strength, perseverance and chivalry.

Written by Emma Gharib Khoury

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(1) Any Roman History (publisher)

(2) The Constitution was completed at the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople, so it is usually called the Nicene-Constantinople Constitution. See the first chapter of the book (Introduction to the Christian Doctrine) by Kosti Bandali and a group of authors, and (The Ecclesiastical Law Collection), in Al-Noor Publications.

(3) Pachomius, the father of (Collective) monasticism (Cénobitique), and it was mentioned in the biography of Bishop Pachomius: (When (Athanasius) arrived in Dophanes, our father Pachomius went out with the group of brothers in a large celebration and a large crowd, and he received him well with many prayers, praises, and candles...)

(4) Athanasius speaks in (The History of the Arians) saying: (How many virgins dedicated themselves to Christ after they were asking for marriage... and how many young men changed themselves with good zeal... so they left the world for monastic life... and how many fathers convinced their children and how many children convinced their fathers to pursue more asceticism. Christian... And how many wives persuaded their husbands and husbands persuaded their wives and devoted themselves to entering into the era of prayer... How many widows and how many orphans were hungry, naked, and with the enthusiasm of the people they were satisfied and clothed... The jealousy of the people and their competition for virtue was so intense that one would almost think that every family and every household It became a church... and peace was wafting over the churches) (History of the Arians 25, 27...)