The world awoke to find itself heretic, but one man would not accept the situation. Athanasius stood fast against emperors, bishops, and even synods of bishops. Ordained as a young man, he lived to reign as bishop for 45 years. But 17 of those years he spent in exile. He was exiled five times at the orders of four different emperors. Athanasius became symbolic—the face of the Council of Nicaea, with its creed and its special word: “consubstantial.” As the fortunes of Nicaea waxed and waned, Athanasius rose and fell. He was accused of murder and embezzlement, charged with desecration and magic. He spent much of his life on the run. He had many close calls and brushes with death. His life was a breathless adventure for orthodoxy’s sake. And he prevailed.
Links
St. Athanasius of Alexandria, Encyclical Epistle to the Bishops Throughout the World
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=2005
St. Athanasius of Alexandria, Discourses against the Arians
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=3085
Excellent study of Athanasius by Fr. Thomas Weinandy, OFM Cap. https://www.amazon.com/Athanasius-Introduction-Thomas-Weinandy-Cap-dp-0813231140/dp/0813231140/
More works by the Fathers https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/
Mike Aquilina's website https://fathersofthechurch.com
Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org.
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