HIS EARLY YEARS:
A STORY TELLS HOW ST. ALEXANDER LOOKED OUT OF THE WINDOW WHILE WAITING FOR HIS GUESTS TO ARRIVE FOR LUNCH, AFTER A SERVICE ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF ST. PETER’S MARTYRDOM, SAW THE YOUNG ATHANASIUS AT PLAY, BAPTIZING HIS SCHOOLMATES ON THE SEA-SHORE, AND PICKED HIM OUT AS A BRIGHT BOY, AND A DESTINED ECCLESIASTIC.
BY 320, HE WAS ALEXANDER’S BRILLIANT YOUNG DEACON, AND HE HAD PROFITED BY ALL THAT CHRISTIAN TEACHERS AND BOOKS AT ALEXANDRIA HAD TO TEACH HIM.
ATHANASIUS’ GREAT APOLOGETIC AND DOMATIC WORK IN TWO BOOKS, IS THE PRODUCTION OF HIS YOUTH. ATHANASIUS WAS CONSIDERED A NEW MOSES OR PERHAPS RATHER A NEW JOSHUA BRINGING GOD’S PEOPLE INTO THE PROMISED LAND.

ARIUS AND HIS FOLLOWERS:
ARIUS, THE PRIEST OF BAUCLIA, OPPOSED THE TEACCHING OF HIS BISHOP, ALEXANDER, AND HIS DEACON, ATHANASIUS.
THE ARIANS STRESSED THE SUBORDINATION OF THE SON TO THE FATHER, AND STILL MORE THAT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA:
THE NUMBER OF BISHOP WHO ATTENDED THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA WAS THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN, GATHERING FROM ALL PARTS OF THE THEN KNOWN CHRISTIAN WORLD.
AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION, WHICH TURNED MAINLY ON THE EXACT WORD THAT SHOULD BE USED TO DESCRIBE THE RELATION BETWEEN GOD THE FATHER AND GOD THE SON, THEY DRAW UP”THE CREED”.

ATHANASIUS POPE OF ALEXANDRIA:
AFTER THE DEATH OF POPE ALEXANDER, WHO NAMED ATHANASIUS AS HIS SUCCESSOR, ATHANASIUS BECAME POPE OF ALEXANDERIA, IN AD 326. HE WAS THIRTY YEARS OLD AT THAT TIME.
DURING THE EARLY YEARS OF HIS PAPACY AND EPISCOPATE, THE CHURCH OF ABYSSINIA WAS FOUNDED THROUGH THE PREACHING OF FRUMENTIUS.

YEARS OF TROUBLE:
             THE FORCES AGAINST ATHANASIUS WEREA COMBINATION OF THE CRYPTO-ARIANS , HEADED BY EUSEBIUS OF NICOMEDIA , OUTSIDE EGYPT , AND MELETIANS INSIDE . THE LATTER PROVIDDED  LOCAL COMPLAINTS ; THE FORMAR SUPPORTED THEM  WITH INFLUENCE IN OFFICIAL CIRCLES . MELETIUS HAD DIED , BUT LEFT SUCCESSORS.
              IN 330 ATHANASIUS REFUSED TO OBEY AN IMPERIAL  ORDER TO  READDMIT ARIUS AND HIS FOLLOWERS TO COMMUNION AFTER A VAGUE SUBMISSION, ON THE GROUND THAT THE CHURCH HAD DECIDEDTHEIR CASE .
              THREE MELETIAN BISHOPS THEN TURNED UP AT COURT AND CHARGED HIM WITH HAVING IMPOSED A TAX OF LINEN GARMENTS ON EGYPT .
              ON ARRIVAL AT COURT ( THEN AT NICOMEDIA ) , ATHANASIUS FOUND A MORE DEFINITE CHARGE OF HAVING SENT A PURSE OF GOLD TO A REBEL , PHILUMENUS .
              ATHANASIUS CLEARED HIMSELF AND RETURNED TO ALEXANDRIA , WITH A LETTER OF COMMENDATION FROME THE EMPEROR .

HARD TIMES :
            IN 350 CONSTANS HAD BEEN KILLED , AND CONSTANTIUS WAS THE SOLE RULER OF THE EMPIRE .  HE BEGAN SECURING SUBSERVIENT ARIAN OR SEMI-ARIAN BISHOPS IN THE PRINCIPAL SEES, WHO SUBSCRIBED TO THE DEPOSITION OF ATHANASIUS .
 ATHANASIUSWAS ACCUSED TO HAVE BEEN AGAINST THE EMPEROR  A SUSPICIOUS LETTER ASKING ATHANASIUS TO COME TO COURT , WHICH HE HAD NEVER MADE , AND A DELEGATION OF                EGYPTIAN BISHOPS WWHO WENT TO SEE CONSTANTIUS AT MILAN WAS NOT RECEIVED .
              THE USE OF THE UNFINISHED CHURCH IN THE CAESARIUM GAVE RISE TO ANOTHER CHARGE OF TREATING AN IMPERIAL GIFT WITHOUT DUE  RESPECT .
              IN 356 THE DUCK SYRIANUS ATTACKED THE CHURCH OF THEONAS  , WHERE ATHANASIUS WAS PRESIDING  AT AVIGIL SERVICE .  DIECTING  THE DEACON TO BEAGIN PSALM 135 , WITH ITS REFRAIN “FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER “ , ATHANAASIUS SECURED THE RETEAT OF THE CONGREGATION .
              AS THE SOLDIERS PRESSED ON TO THE SANCTUARY , HE WAS CARRIED OFF BY CLERGY AND MONKS IN WHAT SEEMED A MIRACULOUS MANNER . SO BEGAN HIS THIRD EXILE .

VALIENS:
              AFTER JOVIAN’S SHORT REIGN , HOWEVER , THE ARIANVALENS CAME INTO POWER .
              ATHANASIUS WITHDREW . AN IMPERIAL ORDER ARRIVED IN 366 , RECALLING ATHAANASIUS , AND  FROM THEN ON , VALENS LEFT HIM ALONE IN THE YEARS OF RELATIVE PEACE AFTER 363 , ATHANASIUS CONTINUED HIS CONCERN FOR THE GENERAL AFFAIRS OF THE CHURCH .
              DURING TIME OF STRUGGLE AS WELL AS OF PEACE THE GROWTH OF THE  EGYPTIAN CHURCH CONTINUED , AND WITHIT THE SPREAD OF ITS MOST CONSPICUOUS: THE MONASTIC INSTITUTION.
              ATHAANASIUS ‘ LAST YEARS WERE BRIGHTENED BY THE BUILDING OF CHURCHES FOR AN EXPANDING FLOCK.
ON 2 MAY 373, THE OLD WARRIOR DIED, HAVING, ONLY A FEW DAYS BEFORE, CONSECRATED  PETER, ONE OF HIS OLD PRIESTS,AS HIS SUCCESSOR .
LESS THAN A DECADE AFTER HIS DEATH,GREGORY NAZIA-NZENE PROCLAIMED IN THE PULPIT AT CONSTANTINOPLE,” IN PRASIING ATHANASIUS, I SHALL BE PRAISING VIRTUE “ AND EULO- GIZED HIM AS PHILOSOPHER, PASTER, RULER, CONFESS-OR OF THE FAITH, RECONCILER, THE PILLAR OF THE CHURCH IN HIS AGE.