Saint Athanasious
Friday, November 17, 2006
Saint
Athanasius the Apostolic
the
20th. Pope of Alexandria.
(17 Bashans/22 May
On
this day of the year 89 A.M. (373 A.D.) the great Pope Anba
Athanasius the apostolic, the 20th.
Pope of Alexandria, departed.
He was born to
pagan parents about the year 295 - 298 A.D. It happened that when he was in
school, he saw some Christian children acting the Christian retuals
some as priests, some as deacons and one of them as a bishop. He asked their
permission to participate with them, but they refused saying: "You are
pagan, and you are not allowed to mix with us." He answered them: "I
am from now on a Christian." They rejoiced with him, they made him a
patriarch over them in the play, they enthroned him on a high place, and they
offered him honor and respect. At that time pope Alexandros passed by, when he saw them, he said to those
who were with him about Athanasius: "This child would be in a great
position one day."
When Athanasius'
father died, his mother brought him to Pope Alexandros,
who taught them the principles of the Christian faith and baptized them. They
gave their money to the poor, and stayed with the Pope, who taught Athanasius
the church subjects, and ordained him deacon and made him a personal secretary.
The gifts of the Holy spirit increased in him. He was
chosen Patriarch on the 8th. of Bashans
of the year 44 A.M. (May 5th., 328 A.D.) after the departure of Pope Alexanderos.
Pope Alexanderos had recommended Athanasius, his deacon, for the
Papacy, who lived with St. Antonios the father of the
monks and followed his example in asceticism. He manifested his brilliancy in
exposing "Arius" in the universal council, when Arius said about
Christ that he was "similar" in essence with the Father, St.
Athanasius said: "One in essence with the Father." In this fashion he
manifested his excellence.
St. Athanasius hid
himself in the mountains, after the departure of Pope Alexanderos
for he believed of his unworthiness to this serious and important position. The
people sought him until they found him, and brought him to
the bishops, and was ordained Pope in 328 A.D.
The historian
Socrates testified about him saying: "Athanasius fluency in speech and his
outspokenness in the council of Nicea brought over
him all the hardships that he encountered in his life."
After he became a
Pope, he ordained for Ethiopia its first Metropolitan whose name was Anba "Salama". The
church of Ethiopia have followed the church of
Alexandria since that time. The spiritual and religious state in Ethiopia had
established and settled since that time. St. Athanasius was exiled away from
his Chair five times
Although
Athanasius reached the age of 72, he did not compromise in performing his
duties. For his steadfastness and his firm stand for justice, the world
described him by the saying: "Athanasius against the world."
He wrote several
books about the Arians, on the Incarnation, and other subjects. Abba Cosma (The 44th. Patriarch)
praised these publications by saying: "I ask anyone who would find the
books of Athanasius to write them on paper, and for those who could not find
paper, to write them on their clothes."
Athanasius was the
first Pope to wear the monastic tunic from the hand of St. Antonios.
He made it the uniform for bishops and patriarchs. He was the one who ordained
St. Antonios a priest, and then Archpriest.
He departed in
peace after he had been on the Apostolic Throne for forty five years.
