Description

He is revered as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican churches. He is one of the four Fathers of the Eastern Church who bear the title “Great” along with Basil, Photius, and Anthony is also considered one of the 33 Fathers of the Roman Catholic Church.

From a very young age, he showed his spiritual inclination. At the age of 25, he was ordained a deacon by the Bishop of Alexandria, Alexander, who followed him to the First Ecumenical Council in 325, in Nicaea, Bithynia. There he became a pioneer in the condemnation of the teaching of Arius, which was characterized as heretical.

In 328 and at the age of 33 he was elected patriarch of Alexandria for 46 years, 16 of which he spent in exile, sometimes in the West (Rome, Aquileia, Nyssa, etc.) and sometimes in the desert. He died on May 2, 373, at the age of 78.