Alexandria was cultural capital of the ancient world — and the ancient Church. It had the greatest library on the planet and a state-subsidized community of scholars. It was the city where theology first developed as a science. The Alexandrians had their own distinctive way of interpreting Scripture, developed over centuries by giants: Clement, Origen, Athanasius, Cyril. Its influence on the development of Christianity was profound and permanent.

LINKS

Mike Aquilina, Rabbles, Riots, and Ruins: Twelve Ancient Cities and How They Were Evangelized https://www.amazon.com/Rabbles-Riots-Ruins-Ancient-Evangelized/dp/1621646785/

Jean-Yves Empereur, Alexandria: Jewel of Egypt https://www.amazon.com/Discoveries-Alexandria-Jewel-Egypt/dp/0810991012/

Michael Grant, The Ancient Mediterranean https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Mediterranean-Meridian-Michael-Grant/dp/0452010373/

Mike Aquilina’s website https://fathersofthechurch.com/

Mike Aquilina’s books https://catholicbooksdirect.com/writer/mike-aquilina/

Theme music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed http://www.ccwatershed.org/

Please donate to this podcast: http://www.CatholicCulture.org/donate/audio/

3.5 Cities of God: Alexandria: Library and Lighthouse of Christian Learning