Saint Athanasius of Alexandria

Today is the feast of Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. He was bishop of Alexandria & is 1 of the Greek Fathers of the Church as well as a Doctor of the Church. He is considered the 1st Church Doctor as well as 1 of the 4 Great Eastern Doctors. As his secretary & deacon, he accompanied Bishop Alexander of Alexandria to the 1st Council of Nicea. There began his lifelong battle against Arianism. He was responsible for formulated the doctrine of homo-ousianism which says that Christ is the same substance as the Father, something the Arians denied. Later, in 328 AD he was elected as successor to Alexander.

Unfortunately, his time as bishop was anything but peaceful. The Arians were very much in power in the Byzantine Empire at the time. His battles against Arianism resulted in his being exiled 5 times. Her spent about a 1/3 of his episcopacy in these various exiles. He did die in Alexandria on 2 May 373 AD.

As an aside, Alexandria is 1 of the ancient patriarchies of the Church. & the bishop is known by the title Pope of Alexandria. (Still used in the Orthodox Churches.)

Many of his works survive, including: - Against the Heathen - On the Incarnation of the Word - Deposition of Arius - On Luke 10:22 (Matthew 11:27) - Circular Letter - Apologia Contra Arianos - De Decretis - De Sententia Dionysii - Vita S. Antoni (Life of St. Anthony) - Ad Episcopus Aegypti et Libyae - Apologia ad Constantium - Apologia de Fuga - Historia Arianorum - Four Discourses Against the Arians - De Synodis - Tomus ad Antiochenos - Ad Afros Epistola Synodica - Historia Acephala - Letters.

The Anthanasian Creed bears his name. But it is generally agreed he didn't write it. But much of it is clearly based on his writings. In this day & age when many of the same heresies are making a resurgance under new names we need to be familiar with what it says, along with what St. Athanasius did write.

Athanasian Creed

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith.

Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.

And the Catholic Faith is this:That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.

For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.

The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible,

and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.

The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal.

And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.

As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.

So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty.

And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God.

And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.

So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord.

And yet not three Lords, but one Lord.

For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be both God and Lord,

So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion, to say, here be three Gods, or three Lords.

The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.

The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.

The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.

And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another;

But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal.

So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped.

He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man;

God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world;

Perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting;

Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.

Who although he be God and Man, yet he is not two, but one Christ;

One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God;

One altogether, not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person.

For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ;

Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead.

He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their own works.

And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.

This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

(& despite what some protestants try to claim, the Catholic faith does mean the faith of THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.)