On the 18th day of January
From the «Lives of the Saints» of St. Demetrius (Dimitri) of Rostov
Alexandria, the Christian Parents, and the Children’s Game of Baptism on the Seashore
A living and immortal image of the virtues, able to turn everyone to the service of God, the holy Athanasius the Great had as his homeland the most glorious city in Egypt, Alexandria, and as his parents pious Christians who lived after God. And what he was later to be, he showed plainly in his childhood: for playing with the other children, his own agemates, on the seashore, he did what he had seen in the church, imitating with a child’s temper the sacred ministers of God and likening himself to them. For the children who were with him also set him up as their bishop, and he named some of them presbyters and others deacons. And they brought to him other Hellenic children, who were not yet baptised. And he, baptising them with sea water, spoke over them words like those of the Mystery of Holy Baptism, as he had heard from the presbyter in the church. And he added also a certain instruction to this, as far as a child’s mind could. And at that time the patriarch in Alexandria was our holy father Alexander. And he, chancing to look down from a high place upon the seashore and seeing the children’s game, marvelled as he watched at what they were doing.
The Children Questioned by the Patriarch, and the Baptism Perfected with Chrism
And seeing the baptism which Athanasius was performing, he at once commanded that all the children, with their bishop, be taken and brought to himself. And he asked them what they had done in their game. And they, as children, were at first frightened, but then told everything: that they had set Athanasius up as their bishop, and that he baptises the Hellenic children. And the patriarch, questioning them carefully, sought to learn which ones Athanasius had baptised, and how he had examined them before the baptism, and what they had answered. And he learned that everything had been done according to the law of our faith. And having taken counsel with his clergy, he granted the children that true baptism and perfected it with chrismation. And having called Athanasius’ parents, he charged them that, having brought up their child in good instruction and book learning, they should bring him again to him, but rather to the holy Church and to God, when he had grown up, seeing in him a gift of God. And so it was.
As Hannah Brought Samuel: a Cleric under the Patriarch Alexander, and the Rabid Arius
And when Athanasius had sufficiently learned books and acquired all outward philosophy, his parents brought him to the most holy patriarch Alexander, as Hannah brought Samuel, and gave him as a gift to God. And the patriarch soon made him a cleric. And in that rank from his youth, like a brave warrior, he wrestled with the heretics; and what he suffered from them it is impossible to tell in full, nor is it fitting to pass over in silence his most notable labours and deeds. And at that time the rabid Arius raged with his heresy, and shook the whole Church with his harmful teachings. And he had already been anathematised by the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea of the holy fathers, and cast out from the portion of Christ, and condemned to exile. Yet that crafty serpent, though crushed and barely alive, in no way ceased from evil, for through his disciples and like-minded ones he raised his sting, spreading the poison of the heresy everywhere. And he had many envoys of his own to the emperor, and above all Eusebius, the bishop of Nicomedia, with the other bishops of the same heresy. And through them he obtained favour from the great Constantine, to be released from exile and to return to Alexandria. For Eusebius told the emperor craftily that Arius introduces not one contrary teaching, nor preaches anything unfitting for the Church, but suffers hostility from the bishops through envy, and that there exist between them disagreements only about scholastic words, and not about the faith.
The Emperor’s Simplicity, the Return of Arius, and the Death of the Most Holy Alexander
And the emperor, simple of heart and without malice, not knowing the craft and guile of the heretics, believed the falsehood, and commanded that they should not dispute nor quarrel over words, that there might be no dissension between the churches, and nothing for those who judge with mercy. And he allowed Arius to return to his own place in Alexandria. And so that evil heretic, to the common harm of the Church, reached the city of Alexandria. And this was heavy and painful for the orthodox, and above all for the holy Athanasius, as the armour-bearer of Christ and the firm defender of the righteous traditions of piety, who at that time had already been counted worthy of the degree of archdeacon. And he pursued that wolf both with his God-wise tongue and with his well-writing hand, exposing that evil by his writings and his preaching. And he urged the most holy archbishop to write to the emperor, and himself wrote with him, making the emperor’s simplicity blameworthy in that he had believed the persuasions and fables of the heretics, and had received Arius, who had rejected the righteous faith and had been rejected by God Himself and by all the holy fathers, and allows him to move the unshakeable boundaries of the fathers. And the emperor, taught by Eusebius the heretic, wrote back to them in the sharpest words, threatening them with deposition from their rank if they would not be silent. And the pious good emperor did this, not submitting to fury nor loving Arianism, but having a zeal, though unthinking, that there should be no dissension between the churches, loving peace with a righteous heart where there can be no peace at all. For how shall heresy live in peace with orthodoxy! And after this the most holy Alexander soon departed, and after him the holy Athanasius took the throne, chosen unanimously by all the Orthodox as a worthy vessel for such a myrrh. Then the secret sowers of tares — the Arians — were quiet for a time, not openly waging war on Athanasius. But then the demon stirred them, revealing his craft, and openly disclosed the poison of his evil that was nestling within, when the most holy Athanasius did not receive the lawless Arius into church communion, though he had even an imperial letter to himself, that he should receive him. For the crafty one began everywhere to raise up enmity against the innocent and to compose the fiercest slanders, striving to drive him not only from the throne, but from the city — him who was worthy of a heavenly dwelling. But he was unshaken, singing with David: “Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not be afraid.”
The Crafty Counsel of Eusebius, the Hired Slanderers, and Ischyras of Mareotis
And the chief of that crafty counsel was the aforementioned Eusebius, who bore only the name of piety, but was in truth impious and a vessel of impiety. And he with his like-minded ones got round the emperor’s good nature and chose a favourable time, and urged and incited all, that Athanasius might be deposed from the throne. For the impious man thought that if he deposed him, he would easily overcome the other Orthodox also, and would strengthen Arius’ teaching. And he composed unrighteous slanders against the saint, and framed lying — though the heretics thought them plausible — offences. And he hired also Ision, a follower of the Meletian heresy, and Eudaemon, rich in craft, and Callinicus, famous in evil. And the offences ascribed to Athanasius were these: first, that he compels the Egyptians to give tribute to the church of Alexandria for priestly clothing, linen cloths, altar veils, and clasps, and other church furniture; second, that he is ill-disposed to the emperor and despises the imperial letters; third, that he is a lover of money, and sent a certain chest full of gold to one of his friends for safekeeping. To this a fourth offence was added — concerning Ischyras, the pseudo-priest of Mareotis. For he, being crafty, and treacherous, and cunning in malice, had taken upon himself the name of presbyter without the customary consecration; and having done many evil, shameful and fierce deeds, he deserved not only to be cast out and reproached, but to be punished without mercy. And learning of him, the blessed Athanasius, who was a careful investigator of such deeds and firm as the Lydian stone, had sent the presbyter Macarius into Mareotis, that having questioned closely about Ischyras’ evil deeds he might learn the truth. And Ischyras, fearing examination and exposure, fled from there, and coming to Nicomedia, went to Eusebius the bishop, shamefully slandering Athanasius, calumniating him and bitterly reproaching him.
The Slanders before the Emperor, and the Council at Tyre
For such is evil, that when it does not find a hypocritical pretext, then it takes to lying, and is emboldened by it, and openly arms itself against the truth. And Eusebius and those with him received Ischyras as a true priest — him who was an apostate from God and a transgressor of the sacred canons — and honoured him greatly: for it is proper to everyone to love one like himself, whether in evil or in virtues. And they themselves, burning with anger against Athanasius out of exceeding hatred, with what great joy did they see Ischyras! And encouraging that soul, full of insolence and impudence, with good hopes, they promised to honour him with the more honourable rank of a bishopric, if only he could frame some slander and calumny against the righteous man, giving such a reward — the subjection of many souls and a bishop’s rank for slander and calumny. And he was cunning at such a deed, and took courage, accusing the innocent Athanasius of offences, slandering and alleging that by Athanasius’ command the presbyter Macarius, attacking Ischyras’ church like a robber, dragged him himself out of the altar with great fury, overturned the sacred table and threw it to the ground, broke the chalice of the Divine Mysteries, and burned the holy books with fire. And that lie of Ischyras the enemies of Athanasius accepted as truth, and joining it to the other slanders mentioned above, came to the emperor Constantine, slandering the holy Athanasius. And above all they provoked the emperor to anger by this, that Athanasius despises (they said) the letters of his state, and does not obey the imperial commands, and does not receive Arius into church communion. And the emperor was at first a little troubled, then, having looked into it, was at a loss: for he saw Athanasius’ virtues, and considered the words of those who slandered him true — and so, going by a middle way, he neither condemned nor rejected Athanasius, in order to test him. And because at that time the dedication of the temple was being held in Jerusalem, and bishops were gathering from all the lands, he commanded the bishops, having assembled at Tyre, to investigate concerning the great Athanasius, and also to examine carefully concerning Arius, whether he truly, as he says, remains within the bounds of the holy faith and holds the righteous true traditions. And if he received rejection through envy, then let him be received again by the community and the council, and let the part be joined to the rest of the body of the Church — but if he believes otherwise and teaches corruption, then let him be judged according to the sacred laws and receive the punishment worthy of his deeds. And then came the thirtieth year of Constantine’s reign, when the bishops gathered from various cities at Tyre, and Macarius the presbyter was brought bound by the hands of soldiers, and among them was also a general, who wished to judge together with the bishops, and also certain others of the secular authority. And the calumniators also appeared, and the trial began. And Athanasius was summoned, and first his enemies slandered him unrighteously about the linen church clothing and the veils, then about the love of possessions. But at once that slander proved to be false, and their inhumanity was disclosed.
The Emperor’s Letter to the Tribunal, Apis and Macarius, and the Case of Ischyras
And while this was happening, there came at that same hour a letter from the emperor to the tribunal, which reproached the slanderers not a little, and freed Athanasius from the unrighteous guilt, and called him obediently and sincerely to the emperor. For two presbyters of the church of Alexandria, Apis and Macarius (not the one who was brought bound to the trial, but another of the same name), having come to Nicomedia, told the emperor everything about Athanasius, that the lying enemies had laid false offences upon the holy man and had composed an unrighteous counsel. And the emperor, having learned the truth and understood the slander that had arisen from envy, sent such a letter to the bishops at the trial in Tyre, that when it was read in that trial, the Eusebians were at once seized with fear, and did not know what to do. Yet, moved by great envy, they did not stop in their madness, nor was it enough for them to have been once overcome and put to shame, but they turned to other deceits — they slandered the presbyter Macarius, who had been brought to the trial. And the slanderer Ischyras appeared, and the witnesses were Eusebians, whom Athanasius had first rejected as liars and unworthy of credit; and therefore he wished it to be plainly seen whether Ischyras was truly a priest — and then he promised to answer himself for the offence done. And when he said this, the judges did not wish to listen, but held the trial over Macarius. And the accusers grew weak, and the hearing of that case was deferred, for it was necessary to make an investigation at the very place where, as they said, Macarius had destroyed the altar, that is, in Mareotis. And for such a deed they sent to Mareotis the very slanderers who had first been rejected as liars.
«Truth Is Extinguished, Truth Is Trodden Down» — the Condemnation at Tyre
And Athanasius, seeing and not enduring the injustice that was being done, cried out without ceasing: “Truth is extinguished, truth is trodden down, justice has perished, lawful examination and careful scrutiny of matters have fled from the judges! For this is senseless, that the one who wishes to justify himself should be kept in bonds. Is the judgement of the whole dispute entrusted to slanderers and enemies? And do the slanderers themselves wish to judge those whom they slander?” And the great Athanasius proclaimed this openly and testified it to the whole council. And seeing that he would achieve nothing, and that his enemies and enviers were multiplied against him, he withdrew in secret to the emperor — and at once that council, or rather that crafty assembly, condemned Athanasius in his absence. And there was in Mareotis an unrighteous investigation of the aforementioned deed, and everything was done according to the will and desire of his enemies. And they judged that Athanasius should be utterly cast out, being themselves worthy of rejection.
Jerusalem, the Reception of Arius, and Athanasius’ Letter to the Emperor
And they went to Jerusalem, where the God-opposing Arius was received into church communion by those who were pious only with the tongue, and who at the Council of Nicaea had signed the co-essentiality feignedly. But those who held the true faith both with heart and with lips received Arius’ words and accounts with their mind, and having examined them carefully, recognised the deceit that was hidden under the cover of many words and speeches, and caught him, as a fox, and exposed him as a true enemy. Then a second letter came from the emperor, that Athanasius should come to him (for Athanasius had not yet come to the emperor), and that all the slanderers and judges should soon stand before him. And this caused great fear in the council: for the enemies were afraid, having passed an unrighteous judgement, that their injustice would be exposed — therefore many of them went away. But Eusebius, and Theognis the bishop of Nicaea, and the others, craftily devised some plausible reason to remain in that place, and delayed a good while, and answered the emperor with letters. Meanwhile Athanasius, standing before the emperor in Nicomedia, was righteously freed from the slander about the gold. And the Eusebians delayed long, not hastening to go to the emperor, while the emperor sent Athanasius with his letters to Alexandria, to his throne, and declared all the slanders against him unfounded and unrighteous. And when the holy Athanasius sat on his throne and Arius was in Alexandria, the Arians caused great disturbance and unrest among the people. And the blessed Athanasius could not endure to see not only Alexandria alone, but all Egypt troubled and shaken by Arius, and reported everything by letter to the emperor, urging him to take vengeance on the God-opposer and the troubler of the people.
Arius in Caesarea, and the False Testimony before the Emperor
And there came without delay a command from the emperor to Alexandria, to bring Arius bound to the imperial judgement. And Arius was led from Alexandria to the emperor. And when he was in Caesarea, he came together with Eusebius the bishop of Nicomedia, and Theognis of Nicaea, and Marius the bishop of Chalcedon, his like-minded ones, and having taken counsel together, they composed other slanders against Athanasius, neither fearing God, nor sparing the innocent man, but having one desire only — to cover the truth with a lie, as the divine Isaiah says: “They conceive labour and bring forth iniquity; they trust in lying and say: Let us cover ourselves with a lie.” Such zeal those lawless heretics had, to depose the blessed Athanasius from his throne and to take stronger power over the Orthodox. For they came to the emperor: Arius as though wishing to justify himself, but Eusebius and those with him to further Arius’ injustice — and they bore false witness openly against Athanasius and against the truth. And when they stood before the emperor, he at once asked them about the council which had been at Tyre, what had happened there, and what judgement they had passed on Athanasius. And they answered, saying: “Concerning the other offences of Athanasius, O emperor, we do not greatly grieve, but only about the holy altar, which he destroyed, and about the chalice of the Mysteries, which he broke into small pieces. And also about how he did not allow and forbade the wheat from Alexandria, which was usually sent to Constantinople, to be sent. Therefore,” they said, “we are seized with sorrow and zeal; this grieves us, this wounds our soul. And the witnesses of such his misdeeds are: Adamantius, Anubion, Arvestion and Peter, bishops, by whom Athanasius, being exposed in all this, escaped the judgement truly deserved for his deeds, yet he could not escape rejection, but was rejected by the whole council together as a presumptuous doer of such evil deeds.”
The Exile to Gaul, the Death of Constantine, and the Hidden Testament
And while they were speaking, the emperor was at first silent, troubled within himself, and then, not being able to stop the slanderers, said that the righteous man should be sent away to Gaul for a certain time, not because he believed the slander, nor was he seized with anger, but that the Church might have peace, as one who knows exactly the emperor’s mind testifies. For the emperor saw how many bishops had risen up against Athanasius, and what sedition there was among the people of Alexandria and Egypt because of this, and wished to calm such a storm and quiet the uproar, and to heal the sickness of so many bishops — therefore he had told the holy man to withdraw from the city for a certain time. And after this he himself departed from this life, after thirty years of his reign, having sixty-five years from his birth. And dying, he left three sons as heirs of the kingdom: Constantine, Constantius and Constans — and he divided the kingdom between them by testament. And he wrote to his eldest son Constantine the greater share of the kingdom, but because none of his sons was with him at his death, therefore he entrusted his testament to a certain presbyter, who had his soul secretly corrupted by the Arian ill-faith. And he, as he hid the heresy within, so also hid the imperial testament. And many asked him whether the emperor had made a testament, dying. And he did not tell. And in that secret matter he had as accomplices certain of the emperor’s intimate eunuchs. And when the eldest son Constantine delayed to come to his dead father, Constantius hastened from Antioch and came sooner than the others. And to him that presbyter gave the father’s testament secretly, and for this asked of him one favour — that he also should join the Arians and help them. That such a repayment for an earthly kingdom should be given to the immortal King Christ, that He should not be confessed as God, nor as Master of all, but as a creature, not the Creator. O folly and madness!
The Eunuchs, the Empress, and the Emperor Himself; the Shameful Death of Arius
And the aforementioned Eusebius furthered this, and all who were with him, who had found for themselves such a time as they wished: for they hoped in no other way to spread and strengthen the composition and teaching of Arius’ faith, than if the new emperor also confirmed Athanasius’ banishment, as though it had taken place justly and altogether well. Meanwhile they inclined the chief who was in the imperial palace to their faith and like-mindedness, and through him the sickness of the Arian heresy entered also into the other eunuchs, who by their nature were fit for the receiving of every evil and the passing of it on to others. Then the emperor’s wife was little by little corrupted by blasphemous discourses, and was filled with the like heretical harm. And at last the emperor himself, seduced by Arian reasoning, rose up against Christ the Lord, his Master, so that the words of the divine Jeremiah were fulfilled upon him: “The shepherds have acted impiously against Me” (Jer. 2:8). And he openly commanded that the Arian teaching should be firm, and that all the bishops should think as he did — and those who would not submit, he would persuade by fear. And in that great storm and trouble the pilots of the Church were such as these: Maximus of Jerusalem, Alexander of Constantinople, and this one, of whom our word is — Athanasius of Alexandria, who though he was in exile, yet did not abandon the helm of the Church, but strengthened orthodoxy with word and letters. And Eusebius of Nicomedia with those who were with him laboured zealously in his ill-faith, raising up war against the Orthodox and wronging the Church of Christ. And against it he armed himself most of all after the shameful death of Arius, whom that crafty and cunning Eusebius had brought into Constantinople with great honour, to the greater deception and temptation of the faithful, for there was no one there at that time who would stand against Arius, and many of the authorities joined themselves to him, while Athanasius was in exile. But God, the all-wise builder, destroyed their counsels from above, cutting short the evil and the life of Arius: for as much as his tongue flowed with words offensive to piety, so much more his bowels, bursting, flowed out, and the cavity of his entrails — wretched, cast down, he lay in unclean places; a righteous judgement upon the unrestrained tongue, and upon the evil vessel, filled with the pus of craft, a fitting exhaustion. So that chief of the heresy gave up his soul and his body wretchedly. And Eusebius and his fellow-malignants, having taken upon themselves all the labour for the defence and extension of the heresy, troubled all, having for this, as hands, the imperial eunuchs, who helped them greatly. And they had great zeal, to stop the mouth of Athanasius, who was in exile, that he might not teach of piety.
The Letter of the Emperor Constantine the Son, and the Joyful Return
But God, the Guardian of all, inclined the heart of the eldest son of the great emperor Constantine, who was of the same name — Constantine. And he was greater than his brothers both in years and in seniority, and first also in imperial authority, having the dominion of old Rome. And he released the holy Athanasius from exile, and sent him to Alexandria, to his throne, with his letters, which contained this: “The emperor Constantine: I greet the catholic church of Alexandria and its people. I think there is not one among you who does not know what recently befell the great preacher of piety and teacher of the law of God, Athanasius, how a common war was raised against him by the enemies of the truth. And it was commanded him to remain in Gaul with me, that he might for a certain time avoid the troubles which had fallen upon his head, and he was not condemned to exile at all. And I did him many kindnesses, allowing him nothing that was not permitted, though he is truly patient as no one else, for being filled with divine zeal, he can easily bear any burden. And the blessed Constantine, our father, wished to return him quickly to the throne, but came to the end of his life and did not have time to fulfil his thought about him. And to me, his successor, he left that matter, and gave his last commandment about this man. We command you therefore, that today you receive him with all honour and a bright meeting.” And with such an imperial letter the holy Athanasius reached Alexandria, and the assembly of the Orthodox received him joyfully.
The Dead Hand of Arsenius, and the Investigation of Archelaus with Non
And those who were of the Arian ill-faith came together among themselves, and again raised war and disturbance against him, and the Eusebians brought causes of slander against the saint: both that he had returned to the throne without a conciliar judgement, and that he had entered the church of his own will. Then they calumniated the blessed man with a certain dead hand, as though by it he had worked wonders and magic like a sorcerer — though they themselves, wretched ones, were truly sorcerers and manifest enchanters. And that hand, they said, belonged to a certain Arsenius the cleric, as though by some trick Athanasius had cut it off. And the enemies carried this to the ears of the emperor Constantine, and earnestly asked him to condemn Athanasius at once to perpetual exile; but the emperor commanded that this be examined first, and if Athanasius proved guilty of the named sin, then let him receive judgement according to the laws. For he sent Archelaus, one of his own household, together with Non, the prince of Phoenicia, for the exact examination of that matter. And they, when they came to Tyre (for Athanasius was already there, awaiting the exposure concerning the hand and the magic), deferred the examination for a short time, until the expected accusers came from Alexandria, who with their own eyes had seen that iniquity of Athanasius — the cutting off of Arsenius’ hand and the magic. And this deferring of the investigation was the providence of God, which openly showed the end. For He, looking down upon all things from above and delivering the wronged from his wronger, prolonged the time, until that Arsenius, about whom the adversaries slandered Athanasius, came to Tyre. And Arsenius was one of the clerics of the church of Alexandria, a reader by rank, and having committed some great iniquity, was to receive an inescapable sentence and a cruel punishment, and fearing this, he fled, and for a long time no one knew anything of him.
Arsenius Comes Out of Hiding, and the Hired Shameless Woman
And the crafty adversaries of Athanasius, who were most wise in evil and had never expected that Arsenius had appeared because of shame for the sin he had committed, boldly wrote that the dead hand was Arsenius’, and that Athanasius had abominably done iniquity, and preached it everywhere. And the report went through all the lands that Athanasius would receive judgement for the cutting off of Arsenius’ hand, and that rumour reached also that Arsenius himself, who was hiding somewhere in unknown places. And he, having mercy upon his father and benefactor, and grieving at heart for the truth, which the unrighteous lie was overcoming, came out of the hiding place in which he was, and came secretly to Tyre, and revealed himself to Athanasius alone, falling at his holy feet. And the blessed Athanasius was glad at his coming, and commanded him to show himself to no one before the trial. And the all-evil hatred of the adversaries was not appeased, and they were not satisfied with their lying slanders against Athanasius, but added evil to evil and lie to lie. For the wretched heretics hired a certain shameless woman to speak against Athanasius, as though he, having lodged with her, had violated her and done iniquity by force. And it happened: when the judges sat down and the slanderers stood up, they brought in the woman, who wept and complained against Athanasius, though she had never seen him nor knew what he looked like. “I received him,” she said, “into my house for God’s sake, as an honourable and holy man, desiring a blessing for myself and my house. And behold, on the contrary, I suffered from him.
«Was It I Who Violated You at Night?» — the Laughter of the Judges
When midnight came, he came to me, when I was sleeping on my bed, and violated me by force; no one took me out of his hands, for all in the house were overcome by deep sleep.” And when that shameless woman said evil things and slanders with tears, a friend of Athanasius named Timothy, a presbyter, standing behind the door and hearing those slanders, was moved in spirit, and suddenly went inside in haste, and stood before the eyes of the slanderess, as though he were Athanasius. And he said to her with boldness: “Woman,” he said, “was it I who violated you at night, as you say? Was it I?” And she shamelessly proclaimed to the judges, saying: “This is my seducer, this is the betrayer of my purity, this one and not another, who lodged with me and repaid my kindness with outrage.” And hearing this, the judges laughed. And the adversaries were greatly ashamed: for their lie was openly disclosed, and they had shame and contempt, and all marvelled at that unrighteous calumny, and declared Athanasius free from that sin.
The Hand in the Midst of the Court, and the Living Arsenius with Both Hands
For what do the adversaries do: wishing to cover their first shame with a second calumny, they began to expose the holy man for magic, and brought into the midst a certain hand, an abominable thing and terrible to look upon, and with that hand shamelessly pointed at the saint: “It will speak against you silently, O Athanasius, it will cry out, it will expose you; this will take you and hold you fast, that you may not escape from the judgement; you will not be able to avoid it neither by words, nor by cunning, nor by any other trick. All know Arsenius, whose hand you unrighteously and mercilessly cut off. Say now further, for what deed did you need it? And for what reason did you cut it off?” But he, with a submissive voice, as befits such a man, who imitated Christ his Lord, once judged by the Jews, not shouting over the one who bellowed, but as a lamb led to the slaughter, was now wholly silent, now answered submissively, saying: “For who among you knows Arsenius well? Who is there who exactly recognises this hand?” And when many rose from their seats, saying that they knew Arsenius himself and his hand well — as they claimed — at once Athanasius threw off the covering, and commanded Arsenius to stand in the midst. For Arsenius stood up in the midst of that court, alive and well, having both his hands whole. And the blessed man, looking angrily at the slanderers, said: “Is not this Arsenius, is not this the one who, as you say, has a hand cut off? Is not this he, known to all the Alexandrians?”
«Show Then Your Own Arsenius» — and the Judges Covered Their Faces
And he commanded Arsenius to stretch out first his right, then his left hand on high. And he cried out loudly, as though calling those who stood far from the truth. For he said: “O men, behold Arsenius, and behold his hands, which have known no cutting off. Show then your own Arsenius, whichever you have? And whose is that cut-off hand, which condemns you yourselves, as those who committed that cutting off?” Then all were filled with inexpressible shame and covered their faces, and departed from the court; only the armour-bearers remained. But the people, sufficiently filled with Arian harm, seeing that the bishops and the judges went out with shame and sorrow, surrounded Athanasius, stinging him with cruel words, calling him a sorcerer, and an enchanter, and a liar, and bringing other, sharper words and reproaches upon him, and raising their hands to tear him to pieces and kill him — and they would have done this in any case, had not Archelaus, the emperor’s man, calmed them and taken Athanasius from among them. And that Archelaus, being good of temper, and seeing the innocence of Athanasius, and the great number of his enemies, and their unappeasable malice, counselled Athanasius to flee in hiding and hide himself where no one could find him. And taking him, he led him out of the city by secret stairs, avoiding the rabid crowd. For the saint was fleeing, and the unrighteous judges on the second day, without Archelaus the emperor’s man, gathered together, and condemned the righteous Athanasius as a fornicator and a murderer, a sorcerer and an enchanter.
The Sentence Sent Through the Lands, the Dry Well, and the Flight to the West
And they wrote out the reasons for this condemnation, and sent them everywhere, that the cities and the churches in all the lands should be shut before him. And they rose up and raged against him, and against the emperor Constantine, to such a degree that they promised estates and honours to those who would either report where the living Athanasius was, or bring the head of the slain one. And he, exiled not only beyond the borders of the Greek dominions, but as though from the face of the universe, hid himself a good while in a certain deep pit, which had once been a well, but afterwards was drained dry and became waterless and dry, and no one knew of him, except one lover of God, who fed him, watching over him there. Then some began to guess where he was, and already wished to take him in the morning, for they searched and tracked him everywhere with great care. But Athanasius, by the divine providence, came out of the pit by night and passed over to another place. And fearing lest he be found and taken there also, he departed from the East to the West.
Constans in the West, Pope Julius, and Gregory the Cappadocian on the Throne
And there reigned then in the West the younger brother Constans, after the death of the elder brother Constantine, who at Aquileia by the river Alsus was killed by soldiers. And coming into Europe, the blessed Athanasius went to Julius the pope of Rome, and to the emperor Constans himself, and told them everything about himself in detail. And at that time there was a council of the eastern bishops at Antioch, who had come together for the dedication of the church which the great Constantine had begun to build. And his son Constantius completed it and made its dedication. And for this reason all the bishops from the East gathered there, and among them were not a few Arians. And they, having gathered their crafty assembly with the emperor’s help, again rejected the holy Athanasius, who was then in the West, and sent letters to Rome to the pope Julius, writing false testimony against Athanasius, urging the pope to reject him also. And for Alexandria instead of Athanasius they first chose Eusebius of Emesa, a learned man, but he did not wish it, knowing what zeal the people of Alexandria had for their shepherd Athanasius. Then they set upon that throne a certain Gregory the Cappadocian, an ill-faithed Arian. And before he had yet come to Alexandria, Athanasius outstripped him from Rome: for the pope Julius, having carefully examined the false testimony against Athanasius and recognised it as lying, released Athanasius again to his throne with his letters — in which he reproached sufficiently those who had dared to reject Athanasius. And the saint was received by the Orthodox Alexandrians with great joy.
The General Syrianus, the Vigil, and the Escape through the Crowd
And the adversaries, learning of this (for their leader Eusebius of Nicomedia had already died), were greatly troubled, and at once persuaded the emperor to send an army with Gregory, to set him up on the throne. For the emperor sent with that Gregory, a heretic chosen by heretics, a general named Syrianus, with a great number of armed soldiers. And he commanded him to bring about death for Athanasius, but a bishopric for Gregory. And it happened, when the all-night vigil service was being celebrated in the cathedral church of Alexandria, for it was some feast, and when all the Orthodox people with their shepherd Athanasius were keeping vigil in the church and singing, the general Syrianus came with the armed host, as though to battle, and having surrounded the church, sought Athanasius alone (sparing the people) for murder. But he, for God covered him, hid himself among the people, came out of the church, and passing through the midst of the uproar and the multitude of people, because the darkness of night had fallen, fled, like a fish out of the midst of the nets themselves, and returned again to Rome. And the impious Gregory took the Alexandrian throne, like a beast of prey. And a fierce sedition arose among the people, and a certain temple, called the church of Dionysius, was set on fire. And the holy Athanasius remained in Rome for three years, greatly honoured by the emperor Constans and the pope Julius. And he had there a friend — the holy Paul, archbishop of Constantinople, whom the ill-faithed also drove from his throne.
The Council at Sardica, and the Crafty Assembly at Philippopolis
Then by the counsel of both emperors, Constantius and Constans, there was a council of the eastern and western bishops at Sardica, concerning the confession of the faith and concerning Athanasius and Paul. And there the western bishops were more than three hundred, and the eastern seventy and a little more. And among them was also the aforementioned priest Ischyras, at that time already bishop of Mareotis. For the bishops from Asia came together, but they did not wish even to see the western ones, until they first drove Paul and Athanasius out of their council. But the western ones did not wish even to listen to such words of theirs. And the eastern ones withdrew at once to themselves. And having come to Philippopolis, a Thracian city, they composed there their council, or rather their crafty assembly, and unanimously (O Your patience, Christ the King!) openly delivered to anathema, that is, cursed the confession of those who confess the Son to be of one essence with the Father. And they sent that impiety of theirs everywhere to those under them. And learning of this, the holy fathers of Sardica first delivered to anathema that blasphemous heretical assembly and their ill-famed confession, then deposed the slanderers of Athanasius from their ranks, and confirmed the bounds of the holy faith established at Nicaea, and decreed that God the Son be preached in the clearest language as of one essence with God the Father.
Constans’ Sharper Letter, the Reconciliation at Jerusalem, and the Third Return
And after all this the western emperor Constans by his letters asked his brother, the eastern emperor Constantius, for Paul and Athanasius, that he should command them to return to their own thrones. And when he deferred their return, the emperor Constans again wrote to him in sharper words: “If you will not listen to me willingly,” he said, “then, though you do not wish it, I shall seat each of them on his throne, and shall come against you with force and arms.” Then the emperor Constantius, fearing his brother’s threats, received the holy Paul, who came sooner, and sent him honourably to his throne, and called the holy Athanasius from Rome to himself with gracious letters, and conversed with him, and saw him to be a man most wise and God-inspired, and marvelled at his great wisdom, and did him great honour, and returned him gloriously to his throne. For he escorted him himself, and wrote to the people of Alexandria and to all the bishops and princes in Egypt, and to Nestorius the Augustal Prefect, and to the rulers of those beyond the Thebaid and Libya, that they should receive Athanasius with great honour and reverence. And strengthened by those imperial letters, the blessed man went through Syria and Palestine, and being in the holy city of Jerusalem, was received courteously by the most holy Maximus the confessor, the bishop of Jerusalem, and each told the other of the troubles and calamities they had suffered for Christ. And the most holy patriarch Maximus summoned those eastern bishops who through Arian fear had agreed to the deposition of Athanasius. And he made them companions of Athanasius, rendering him worthy honour, and he with joy forgave them their offences against him. Then he came to Alexandria, to his throne, with great triumph, and all the people met him with inexpressible joy, and all the bishops and princes came together for his reception, and brought him in with honour. And this was the third return of the holy Athanasius to the throne after three exiles.
The Murder of Constans, Magnentius, and the Soldiers around the Church
And after countless labours and troubles he rested a little, and thought to lead the rest of his life in ease and quiet, yet again the waves of fierce troubles moved against him. For when the impious Magnentius, the commander of the Roman army, conspiring with his rebels, killed the pious emperor Constans, his master, then the Arians again raised their horn, and raised fierce war against the Church of Christ. For again the slanders, and the persecution, and the old evil began against Athanasius. Again the imperial commands and threats went out. Again for Athanasius there were flights, again fears, and searchings by land and by the whole sea: for the aforementioned Gregory the Cappadocian, who had earlier been chosen by the Arians to the throne instead of Athanasius, coming into Alexandria, shook Egypt, unsettled Palestine, and filled the whole East with disturbance. And the lampstands of the universe were again cast down from their thrones: the holy Maximus from Jerusalem, the holy Paul from Constantinople; and what was done in Alexandria the holy Athanasius himself tells, saying thus: “Again,” he said, “certain ones came into Alexandria, seeking to kill us, and the present was worse than the former. For the army suddenly surrounded the church, and instead of prayers there were groans, cries and riot. And this was in the holy Forty Days. And Gregory came down from Cappadocia, whom the Macedonians and the Arians had sent, and increased the evil, which he had learned from those who sent him. And a week after holy Pascha they drove naked virgins into prison, the soldiers led bishops bound, the houses of orphans and widows were plundered, and there was utter robbery in the city. And the Christians went out of the city by night, and sealed their houses, and the clergy were in distress through their brethren — this was truly fierce, but what happened after this was fiercer still.
Sebastian the Manichaean, the Virgins by the Fire, and the Forty Men with Thorn Rods
And after holy Pentecost the people who were fasting came together to the tomb of the holy hieromartyr Peter to pray, for all shunned Gregory and avoided communion with him. And when that all-crafty one learned of this, he incited against them the general Sebastian, who was a Manichaean in faith. And he with many soldiers, with weapons and naked swords, carrying bows and arrows, rushed into the church itself, and attacked the people. But they found few of those who were praying: for many had already gone, as it was a late hour. And to those they found, they did the fiercest harm. For they kindled a great fire and set the virgins by the fire — forcing them to confess themselves to be of Arius’ faith. And when they could not force them to this, seeing that they paid no attention at all to the fire and the threats, and were invincible in their orthodoxy, they stripped them, and mercilessly cut their faces with wounds, so much that for a long time their own could scarcely recognise them. And forty men he punished with a novel torture: he cut rods with sharp thorns from date palms, and so tore their shoulders with those thorns, which bit in deeply, as though someone had cut the body many times. And others, not enduring the pain, died so, with their wounds. And all the virgins (whom he tormented most) he sent into exile to the Great Oasis, and the bodies of the slain Orthodox Christians he did not allow even their own to take, but the soldiers hid them somewhere unburied, thinking that in this way their cruelty would be hidden. So did the seduced in mind and the mad. But the Orthodox rejoiced for their sufferers because of their firm confession, and wept because their bodies were unknown, for the more the impiety and cruelty of the tormentors was exposed.
The Exile of the Bishops, and the Council at Milan
And after this he at once sent into exile the bishops from Egypt and Libya: Ammonius, Muinus, Gaius, Philo, Hermias, Paulinus, Psynosirus, Linamon, Agathon, Agamphus, Mark, and the other Ammonius and Mark, Dracontius, Adelphius, Athenodorus — and the presbyters Hierax and Dioscorus. And he wronged them so badly, that some died on the roads, and others in exile. And more than thirty bishops were condemned to perpetual exile. The wretched men, like Ahab, strove, if it were possible, to take away and destroy the truth from the whole earth. So the great Athanasius himself writes, reporting his own flight. And the rest the following tale will tell. And the emperor Constantius, after the death of his brother the emperor Constans, having overcome Magnentius, held the East and the West, and both in the East and in the West spread the heretical Arianism, inclining the western bishops by every means — some by fear, and others by favour, gifts and other allurements — to agree with the dogmas of Arius and become companions of their ill-faith. And he commanded that there be a council at Milan, a city of Italy, for the deposition of Athanasius: for so he hoped to establish Arianism, when Athanasius should be utterly rejected and destroyed from among the living. For many then became the emperor’s like-minded ones: some through fear, and others enticed by imperial honours. But those who remained firm in piety withdrew from that assembly: such were Eusebius the bishop of Vercelli, Dionysius of Milan, Rhodanus of Toulouse, Paulinus of Trier, and Lucifer of Cagliari. And they did not sign the deposition of Athanasius, considering that this was the deposition of the righteous faith and the rejection of the truth, for which they were sent into exile at Ariminum. But all the other bishops who gathered at Milan condemned Athanasius, that he should be deposed. And it will not be superfluous here to tell also of the refusal of Eusebius and Dionysius to sign that unrighteous assembly.
Dionysius of Milan Signs; Eusebius of Vercelli Arrives
And when about thirty Arian bishops had gathered at Milan, and they did not wait for the other Orthodox bishops, but themselves composed the council, and signed their names. And Dionysius of Milan, recently raised to the episcopal rank and young in years, they persuaded to sign that council, and he did not dare to oppose so many honourable and ancient bishops. Therefore, though he did not wish it, he signed his name there with them. And after this the Orthodox bishop of Vercelli, Eusebius, old in years, came to Milan (when that assembly with the signing of the three names had already taken place), and asked Dionysius about what was being done in the council. And Dionysius, telling that an unrighteous judgement against the holy Athanasius had already taken place, confessed with great grief and repentance his own offence, that he had been seduced and therefore had signed for the deposition of Athanasius. And the blessed Eusebius reproved him for this, as a father his son, for Dionysius had Eusebius as his spiritual father — both because of his old age, and because he had been bishop for many years, and also because the see of Vercelli was higher than that of Milan. Yet, seeing the repentance of Dionysius, Eusebius commanded him not to grieve: “I,” he said, “know what I shall do, that your name may be erased from among them.” And so it was.
«Shall I Sign under Dionysius? By No Means» — and the Erased Name
And the Arian bishops learned of the coming of Eusebius, and called him to their assembly, and showed him the judgement composed for the deposition of Athanasius, with their signatures. And they wished him also to sign his name there. But Eusebius, pretending as though he agreed with their council and wished to sign, took the chart and read the names of the bishops who had signed. And coming to the name of Dionysius, he cried out, as though offended, saying: “Where shall I sign my name? Under Dionysius? By no means. Dionysius shall not be above me. You say that the Son of God cannot be equal to God the Father; why then do you honour my son above me?” And he would not sign, until the name of Dionysius was erased from the higher place. And the Arian bishops greatly desired the signature of Eusebius, and wishing to comfort him, commanded that the name of Dionysius be erased. And Dionysius erased with his own glorious hand, with which he had written it, his name in the chart, as though giving the higher place to the senior bishop Eusebius of Vercelli, and himself wishing to sign under him. And when the name of Dionysius had been erased and wholly effaced, so that there was not even a trace of the letters, the blessed Eusebius laid aside the feigned agreement with their assembly, and openly confessed the true one, mocking the Arians and saying: “Neither shall I be defiled by your iniquities, nor shall I allow my son Dionysius to be a partaker of your evil: for it is not righteous to sign an unrighteous judgement for the deposition of an innocent archbishop; the law of God and the church canons forbid this. Let it be known to all, that Eusebius and Dionysius will no longer sign that tribunal of yours, full of evil and iniquity. And thanks be to God, who delivered Dionysius from your fellowship, giving us such a device, that his name was well effaced from among your names, which had been evilly written.”
The Exile of Eusebius and Dionysius, the Secret Hiding, and Pope Liberius
And the Arians, seeing that they had been mocked by Eusebius and Dionysius, laid hands on them to wrong them, and having reproached them with many taunts, sent each of them separately into exile, and did such evil to the blessed Eusebius in exile, that he died as a martyr. And the holy Athanasius, hearing all this and learning that the eparch’s soldiers were coming by the emperor’s command to take him, being told by some divine appearing, departed at midnight from the episcopal residence, and hid himself with a certain virtuous maiden, who was consecrated to God and a true handmaid of Christ, and was concealed with her until the death of the emperor Constantius — and no one at all knew of him, only God and that maiden, who herself served him and brought him the books he needed, borrowing them from others. And remaining there, the saint wrote many letters against the heretics. But the people of Alexandria, seeking their shepherd the holy Athanasius, went everywhere, for they grieved for him greatly, and sought him so earnestly, that each would gladly have given up his own soul for the finding of him. And a great despondency oppressed the holy Church. For Arius’ heresy had gained strength not only in the East, but in the West also. And by the emperor’s command they deposed from their thrones in Italy and throughout the whole West those bishops who would not sign the doctrine of unlike essence — that the Son is of another nature than the Father. And at that time the holy Liberius, the pope, who after the blessed Julius, who was the successor of the holy Sylvester, had received the Roman throne, was exiled for piety, and instead of him a certain Felix of the heretics was raised up.
The Death of Constantius, the Destruction of Gregory, and the Night Coming of Athanasius
So long the heretics oppressed and wronged the holy Church from every side, until at last the emperor Constantius came to his death: when he was between Cappadocia and Cilicia at the place called the Springs of Mopsus, there he lost his life and his kingdom. And the judgement of God overtook also that Gregory, the pseudo-bishop of Alexandria, set up by the heretics — and the wretched man perished with uproar, killed by the Hellenic people, when a riot arose over a certain Hellenic place which was in Alexandria, and which he wished to take away. And after Constantius, Julian came to the throne, and strove to change all the statutes and laws of Constantius, and released all from exile. And Athanasius learned of this, and feared lest the Arians should seduce Julian also into their impiety: for Julian’s apostasy and final rejection of Christ had not yet been revealed. For it was deep night, and the holy Athanasius came out of that maiden’s house in which he was hiding, and found himself in the midst of the church of Alexandria. For who will tell of that joy which was among the Orthodox? How, to see him, the clergy, and the townspeople, and all the people ran together from everywhere, how sweetly they looked at him? And embraced him with love? Then, with his coming, they were filled with boldness, and at once drove all the Arians out of Alexandria, and committed the city and themselves to Athanasius their shepherd and teacher.
Julian’s Apostasy, the Opened Temples, and the Search for Athanasius
And after this the lawless Julian showed openly what he had done in secret, having renounced Christ. And being established on the throne, he renounced Christ before all, and insulted His all-holy name, and worshipped idols, and opened the temples everywhere, and commanded unclean sacrifices to be offered to the impious gods — and there were altars, and filth, and smoke, and the slaughter of animals, and blood all around. And in this the great pillars and teachers of the Church exposed him, and he fiercely raised a persecution against the Church, and above all against the holy Athanasius. For the emperor took counsel with his like-minded ones, and asked his most cunning magi, soothsayers and enchanters, how Christianity might be destroyed from the universe. And all thought how they might take Athanasius from the earth and destroy him. For they said: “If the foundation is destroyed, then it is easier to destroy the rest of the Christian faith also.” And again an unrighteous tribunal was composed against Athanasius, again an army was sent into Alexandria, again the city was troubled, and the church was surrounded and shaken by the hand of the armed, and Athanasius alone was sought for murder.
The Ship on the Nile, the Weeping of the People, and the Way Turned Back
But he again, covered by God, passed through the midst of them, avoiding the hands of those who sought him, and came by night to the river Nile, and boarded a certain ship that was sailing to the Thebaid. And those who loved him overtook him, and said with tears: “Where are you going from us again, father? On whom do you leave us, as sheep that have no shepherd?” And the saint answered them: “Do not weep, children, for this unrest which we see will soon fall apart.” And having said this, he sailed away on his way. And a certain general went in haste after him: for it had been commanded him by the executioner, that wherever he overtook Athanasius, there he should kill him. And one of those who were with Athanasius, seeing that general from afar, who was sailing after them in a ship and overtaking them, and recognising him well, urged his rowers to row quickly, that they might flee from those who were pursuing them. But the holy Athanasius, having waited a little and understood what was to be, commanded the rowers to turn the ship back to Alexandria again. And when they doubted this and were afraid, he commanded them to be bold — and turning the ship, they sailed straight to Alexandria, against the pursuit. And when they were near the general, the barbarians had their eyes darkened as though by a mist: seeing, they did not see, and sailed past.
«Do You Seek Athanasius? He Is a Little Ahead of You»
And Athanasius asked them: “Whom do you seek?” And they answered: “We seek Athanasius. Have you not seen him somewhere?” And he said: “He is a little ahead of you, sailing in a ship, as though fleeing from someone who pursues him; pursue and you will catch him.” And so the saint escaped the murderous hands, and entering into Alexandria, filled all the faithful with joy, yet he hid himself until Julian’s death. And that God-abhorred emperor perished soon, and after him came Jovian, a pious Christian, and again the holy Athanasius sat without fear on his throne, governing the Church. But Jovian also did not remain long on the throne, for he reigned only seven months, and died in Galatia.
Valens the Arian, Forty-six Years of the Episcopate, and the Blessed Departure
And Valens came, infected with the impieties of Arius. And troubles upon the Church began again. For that impious emperor, having received the authority, thought neither of the common peace, nor of the ordering of the army, nor of victory over the adversaries, but at once began to care how he might multiply and establish Arianism — and he deposed the Orthodox archbishops from their thrones, who did not agree with his impieties. For he first drove out the holy Meletius, the archbishop of Antioch, and then sought this great sufferer Athanasius also, to take him. And when that internal struggle, which persecuted and wronged the Church of Christ everywhere, came also into Antioch, and by the eparch’s command the soldiers were already about to take the holy Athanasius, the blessed man went out secretly from the city and hid himself in a certain paternal tomb, and remained there four months, and no one knew of him. Then all Alexandria sorrowed and grieved for the holy Athanasius, and were filled with great disturbance, being wearied by such and so great wrongs from their emperors. And they already wished to depart from the emperor Valens, and taking up arms, to begin a struggle. And the emperor learned of this, and feared their departure and the civil strife — and he permitted, though he did not wish it, that Athanasius should hold his throne without fear. And so the holy Athanasius, the old warrior of Jesus Christ, after long labours, and after great struggles for orthodoxy, and after so many exiles and flights, having lived a little time before his departure in quiet and peace on his throne, rested in the Lord, and was joined to his fathers — the patriarchs, the prophets, the apostles, the martyrs and the confessors, like whom he had struggled on earth. And he was bishop forty-six years, and left after him as heir of the throne the blessed Peter, his friend and companion in all his troubles. And he himself departed to receive the bright crowns and the rewards of unspeakable blessings from Christ his Lord, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory and dominion, honour and worship, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
On Meletius of Lycopolis, and the Commemoration of Cyril and Marcian
In this life of the holy Athanasius there are mentioned the heresies of Meletius, the follower of Ision. One must know which Meletius that was, lest anyone think that it is Meletius the patriarch of Antioch, who was Orthodox and holy. But the holy Meletius, the patriarch of Antioch, was many years later than that heretic Meletius, who was bishop of Lycopolis in Egypt, and in the time of the persecution offered sacrifice to idols, for which the holy Peter, archbishop of Alexandria, later deposed him from his rank. For he composed his own dogmas, contrary to orthodoxy, and seduced many to follow him — and his disciples were called Meletians instead of Christians. And the heretic Meletius with his disciples helped the Arians. Of that Meletius Socrates Scholasticus writes (Book 1, Chapter 3). On this same day, together with the most holy Athanasius, we honour the memory of our holy father Cyril, archbishop of Alexandria; his life is set out on the ninth of July. On the same day, the memory of our venerable father Marcian, of the city of Cyrus. And his memory we honour on the twentieth of November.