§ 112. Жизнь св. Афанасия Александрийского. а) при Константине Великом.

None of the pastors of the Church of the 4th century had as much influence on the events of the 4th century as St. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, a firm and ardent defender of Orthodoxy against Arianism. Alexandria, the birthplace of Athanasius, provided Athanasius with many means for the education of the mind, and he acquired a variety of information 137; He especially devoted his day and night to the study of everything related to St. faith, and the books of St. Scripture, in the words of St. Gregory, he knew as well as another could hardly recognize one of them 138. But with the formation of his mind, he combined the formation of his heart. He loved the ascetics of the desert and looked for opportunities to get to know them; So he visited St. more than once. Antonia; so he himself was considered among the ascetics for his strict life 139. While still a young man, Athanasius already became known to Archpastor Alexander and was ordained by him (in 319) as a deacon. St. Alexander brought Athanasius so close to himself that the latter was, as it were, his home secretary in written communications on church affairs 140. Probably Athanasius was made famous especially by his writings: against the pagans and about the incarnation of God the Word. These were his first works and were written early; there is not even a hint of Arian unrest in them, and their vivid presentation speaks of the youth of a gifted soul 141. When the wickedness of Arius was revealed, Athanasius took an active part in the struggle of the Saint with Arius and thereby aroused the Arians against himself. This was the case even before the Ecumenical Council 142; and at the Council of Nicaea, the chief deacon of Alexandria victoriously refuted Arius, to the consolation of the Fathers of the Council 143. St. Alexander appointed Athanasius as his successor at the see, and the general voice of the flock persuaded the assembled bishops to fulfill the will of the deceased Saint over Athanasius, against the will of Athanasius. This was in 326 144. From that time on, a whole 48 years were for Archbishop Athanasius a time of difficult struggle with the Arians. The Arians, through machinations at court, managed to achieve that in 331 Arius, and after him all the bishops of the same mind with him, were returned from exile. Soon things got to the point that they began to overthrow Orthodox bishops from their cathedras; and they demanded from Athanasius that Arius be accepted into communion with the Church. Afanasy resolutely refused. Eusebius of Nicomedia, the patron of Arius, complained to the emperor that Athanasius, contrary to the Council, did not accept the Meletians into communion. The emperor was offended by Athanasius: but the saint reassured the emperor, explaining whom he did not accept into fellowship: “Heretics,” he said, who take arms against Christ, have nothing in common with the true children of the Church of Christ” 145. The Arians then saw who Athanasius was and - that as long as Athanasius was the shepherd of the Alexandrian Church - they would remain heretics in the general opinion. They rebelled against Athanasius with measures worthy of them. They united with the schismatics - the Meletians and the Meletians, according to their inspiration, began to present to the emperor accusations against Athanasius, either of cruel treatment of the clergy and of being burdened with an unfair tax, or of connections with the troublemaker of the empire, Philumenes. Athanasius (in 332) personally explained the matter to the emperor, and Constantine released him to Alexandria as a friend of God 146. But the slanderers became even more impudent after that. They reported to the emperor that in one place Athanasius allowed the Holy vessels to be desecrated, in another, on his orders, the hand of Bishop Arseny was cut off, and Arseny died; Athanasius was ordered to appear at the Council in Caesarea. But one informer, tormented by his conscience, himself appeared with repentance to Athanasius, declaring who forced him to slander. Traces of the supposedly dead Arseny were found in Egypt; It was also discovered that he hid in Tire, where he was soon discovered by the Bishop of Tire, who knew him personally. Athanasius described all this to the emperor; A formidable decree was sent to the Meletians, as troublemakers of the peace of the empire, and they entered into communication with Athanasius 147. But the Eusebians managed to bring matters to a point where the Meletians again presented their slander against Athanasius, and the emperor again appointed a Council in Tire. The judges at the Council (in 335) were Eusebius and others like him. Now the severed hand of Arseny was again presented; Athanasius presented Arseny alive and with both hands to the Council. The presbyter who had previously sworn of his slander also appeared again. Not accepting Afanasiev’s justification, Eusebius and his accomplices secretly appointed Afanasy’s obvious enemies to investigate the matter on the spot. In vain did Athanasius and the Egyptian bishops declare that Athanasius’s personal enemies had no right to be his judges; in vain they asked that the matter be submitted to the personal discretion of the emperor. Athanasius was forced to secretly leave Tire to appear before the emperor. The council, despite the disagreement of several bishops, declared him defrocked and decided to expel him from Alexandria. Having learned from Athanasius about what was happening in Tire, the emperor not only agreed to consider his case, but declared strong displeasure against his judges and demanded them to come to him. Not daring to repeat their previous slander, Athanasius’ enemies presented a new slander against him, as if he had prohibited the supply of grain to the capital from Alexandria. The emperor, seeing strong irritation against Athanasius, sent Athanasius to Gaul, but refused the persistent desire of the Arians to replace Athanasius' place in Alexandria with someone else. The defenders of Arius, taking advantage of the circumstances, wanted to bring Arius into communion with the Church in the capital. He was already going to the church with the crowd, when the womb of the son of God who dared to reject the Divinity was seated in Konstantinova Square. According to Constance, Constantine only removed Athanasius to Gaul in order to protect him from enemies who threatened his life, and if he did not return him to Alexandria before his death, it was only because he did not have time 148. Experience serves as example. His very first work is against the Hellenes. His biographer says that he studied the range of sciences (ἐγκύκλια) i.e. I mean Alexander. scientists. Sulpicius Severus called him a jurist. Grigory Naz. in pokh. word to Athanasius 2, 480. The writings of Athanasius show that he diligently read the works of the teachers who preceded him. See eg. Op. about the Hellenes. Apol. cont. Arianos. 1, 129. Life of Anthony. Sozomen 2, 47. Kirill Alex. Er. ad monachos T. 2, p. 1. And blzh. Jerome (De vir. illustr. 87) places these works above all other works of Athanasius. “When Alexander, due to his strong faith in Christ, did not agree to accept Arius into communion: then Arius’s like-minded people were angry with Athanasius, who was a deacon at that time; since reconnaissance learned that he mostly lives with the bishop. Alexandra and respect him.” Athanasius in Apol. cont. Aryan. r. 128. Athanasius signed the Council decision of 321 against Arius. Gelasii cyziceni hist. conc. nicoeni lib. 2. c. 3. Grigory Naz. in Sl. Afan. Sozomen 2, 17. Socrates 1, 8. Theodorite: νεος μεν ων κατ. ηλικιαν, του χωρου δε διακονων ηγουμενος. N. E. 1, 26. Cathedral of Alex. 340 at Athanasius Apol. cont. Aryan. p. 128. Someone, taking advantage of the general knowledge that Athanasius denounced the Arians at the Council of Nicaea, wrote “a conversation between Athanasius and Arius at the Council of Nicaea” (Op. Vol. 3, 203), but this poor work is not worthy of the mind of Athanasius the Great. Sozomen 2, 17. Theodoret 1, 26. Athanasius Apol. Cont. Aryan. 1, 129. Afanasy Apolog. contr. Arian. § 39. p. 178. Theodorite N. E. 1, 20, 33. Socrates N. E. 1, 25, 26, 14. Sozomen 1, 27, 2, 16. Afanasy Apolog. contr. Arian. § 60–62. Theodorite N. E. 1, 27. Socrates H. E. 1, 27. Sozomen N. E. 2, 21, 22. Afanasy Apolog. contr. Arian. p. 179. Socrates H. E. 1, 27, 29. Sozomen H. E. 2, 25. Afanasy Apolog. contr. Arian. r. 126, 132, 187–207. Histor. Arian, ad. mon. p. 374–375. De monte Arii § 1–3. Corp. H. E; 1, 29, 33, 37. Sozom. N. E. 2, 25–31. 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