Alexander of Constantinople

Saint

Alexander of Constantinople
Saint; Alexander of Constantinople
Bishop of Byzantium and Archbishop of Constantinople
	Icon of Patriarchs Alexander, John and Paul IV
Installed	314
Term ended	337
Personal details
Born	237–245
Died	337; Constantinople
Denomination	Eastern Christianity
Sainthood
Feast day	August 30 (Orthodox); August 28 (Roman Catholic);
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodoxy; Roman Catholicism

Alexander of Constantinople (Greek: Ἀλέξανδρος; c. 237/245 – 337) was a bishop of Byzantium and the first Archbishop of Constantinople^[1] (the city was renamed during his episcopacy). Scholars consider most of the available information on Alexander to be legendary.^[2]

Origin and early life[edit]

According to the Synaxarion, Alexander was originally from Calabria in Italy and his parents were called George and Vryaine. From a very young age he was given to God and stayed in a monastery, where he cultivated virtue and became a good labourer of God's commands. He was granted divine visions, while for twenty days he stayed completely fasting. But he also stayed naked for four years and fell into thousands of problems because of attacks of the Saracens. In this way, he lived many years traveling around Greece with his pupils Vitalius and Nicephorus.

Alexander was elected as a vicar to assist the aged bishop Saint Metrophanes of Byzantium. Due to age and ill health, Metrophanes could not attend the First Council of Nicaea, so he sent Alexander instead. At the time of his death, Metrophanes left instructions in his will to elect his vicar to the see of Constantinople.^[3]

During his episcopacy, Alexander engaged in debate with pagan philosophers and opposed heresies. He was highly praised by Gregory Nazianzus^[4] and Epiphanius of Cyprus.^[5] Theodoret called him an "apostolic" bishop.^[6] Alexander served as bishop for about 23 years,^[7] during which time he distinguished himself by his virtues and administrative abilities.^[8]

Arian controversy[edit]

When the Arian controversy began, Alexander, the Patriarch of Alexandria, requested his cooperation in combating what he perceived to be heresy.^[9] At the Council of Nicaea, Arius and his teachings were condemned.

Later, Arius desired to be received back into the communion of the Church. The Roman Emperor Constantine I, having been convinced by the Eusebians, commanded Alexander to formally receive Arius back.^[10] According to Socrates Scholasticus, Arius did not in fact repent of his heresy, but was equivocating, and Bishop Alexander was aware of this.^[11] Alexander, though threatened by the Eusebians with deposition and banishment, persisted in his refusal to admit Arius back into the Church, and shut himself up in the Church of Hagia Irene (which at that time was the cathedral of Constantinople) in fervent prayer that God would take him from this world rather than be forced to restore someone to communion who he feared was only feigning repentance. As it happened, Arius died on his way to the church, before he could be received back into communion.^[12]

Death[edit]

Alexander did not long survive Arius.^[13] On his deathbed he was said to have nominated his vicar, Paul, as his successor, and to have warned his clergy against Macedonius, who became bishop of Constantinople in 342 and whose teachings inspired Macedonianism.

After his death, Alexander came to be regarded as a saint of the Church. The service in his honor was printed in Venice in 1771. According to some ancient manuscripts, the feast of St Alexander was commemorated on June 2. Today, his feast day is celebrated annually on August 30, in a common commemoration with his fellow Patriarchs of Constantinople John the Faster (582–595, also commemorated on September 2) and Paul the New (780-784).

Notes[edit]

^ Smith 1911 cites Theodoret Hist. i. 19
^ Kazhdan, Alexander; Talbot, Alice-Mary (2005-01-01). "Constantinople, Patriarchate of". The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
^ "St. Alexander", Greek Boston
^ Smith 1911 cites Gregory Nazianzus, Oration 27
^ Smith 1911 cites Epiphanius of Cyprus, Adv. Haer. lxix. 10
^ Smith 1911 cites Theodoret, Hist. i. 3, cf. Phil. 12
^ Smith 1911 cites Socrates Scholasticus Hist. ii. 6; Sozomen Hist. iii. 3
^ "Memory of Saints Alexander, John and Paul, Patriarchs of Constantinople", Orthodox Times
^ Smith 1911 cites Theodoret, op. cit. i. 4
^ Smith 1911 cites Athanasius of Alexandria Ep. ad Serap.; Rufinus, Hist. i.
^ Smith 1911 cites Socrates Scholasticus, op. cit. i. 37
^ "Alexander Saint, Bishop of Constantinople", The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature. (James Strong and John McClintock, eds.) Harper and Brothers; NY; 1880
^ Smith 1911 cites Socrates Scholasticus, op. cit. ii. 6 ; Theodoret, op. cit.i. 19

References[edit]

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, I. G. (1911). "Alexander, of Byzantium". In Wace, Henry; Piercy, William C. (eds.). Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century (3rd ed.). London: John Murray.

External links[edit]

St Alexander the Patriarch of Constantinople Orthodox Icon and Synaxarion

Titles of the Great Christian Church
Preceded by Saint Metrophanes	Bishop of Byzantium after 330 of Constantinople 314–337	Succeeded by Paul I

[1] Smith 1911 cites Theodoret Hist. i. 19

[2] Kazhdan, Alexander; Talbot, Alice-Mary (2005-01-01). "Constantinople, Patriarchate of". The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6. Retrieved 2018-07-25.

[3] "St. Alexander", Greek Boston

[4] Smith 1911 cites Gregory Nazianzus, Oration 27

[5] Smith 1911 cites Epiphanius of Cyprus, Adv. Haer. lxix. 10

[6] Smith 1911 cites Theodoret, Hist. i. 3, cf. Phil. 12

[7] Smith 1911 cites Socrates Scholasticus Hist. ii. 6; Sozomen Hist. iii. 3

[8] "Memory of Saints Alexander, John and Paul, Patriarchs of Constantinople", Orthodox Times

[9] Smith 1911 cites Theodoret, op. cit. i. 4

[10] Smith 1911 cites Athanasius of Alexandria Ep. ad Serap.; Rufinus, Hist. i.

[11] Smith 1911 cites Socrates Scholasticus, op. cit. i. 37

[12] "Alexander Saint, Bishop of Constantinople", The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature. (James Strong and John McClintock, eds.) Harper and Brothers; NY; 1880

[13] Smith 1911 cites Socrates Scholasticus, op. cit. ii. 6 ; Theodoret, op. cit.i. 19

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v t e Bishops of Byzantium and Patriarchs of Constantinople
Bishops of Byzantium (Roman period, 38–330 AD)	Andrew Stachys Onesimus Polycarpus I Plutarch Sedecion Diogenes Eleutherius Felix Polycarpus II Athenodorus Euzois Laurence Alypius Pertinax Olympianus Marcus I Philadelphus Cyriacus I Castinus Eugenius I Titus Dometius Rufinus Probus Metrophanes Alexander
Archbishops of Constantinople (Roman period, 330–451 AD)	Alexander Paul I Eusebius Macedonius I Eudoxius Evagrius Demophilus Maximus I Gregory I Nectarius John I Chrysostom Arsacius Atticus Sisinnius I Nestorius Maximianus Proclus Flavian Anatolius
Patriarchs of Constantinople (Byzantine period, 451–1453 AD)	Anatolius Gennadius I Acacius Fravitta Euphemius Macedonius II Timothy I John II Epiphanius Anthimus I Menas Eutychius John III John IV Cyriacus II Thomas I Sergius I Pyrrhus Paul II Peter Thomas II John V Constantine I Theodore I George I Paul III Callinicus I Cyrus John VI Germanus I Anastasius Constantine II Nicetas I Paul IV Tarasius Nicephorus I Theodotus I Antony I John VII Methodius I Ignatios Photios I Stephen I Antony II Nicholas I Εuthymius I Stephen II Tryphon Theophylact Polyeuctus Βasil I Αntony III Nicholas II Sisinnius II Sergius II Eustathius Alexius Michael I Constantine III John VIII Cosmas I Eustratius Nicholas III John IX Leo Michael II Cosmas II Nicholas IV Theodotus II Neophytus I Constantine IV Luke Michael III Chariton Theodosius I Basil II Nicetas II Leontius Dositheus George II John X Michael IV^† Theodore II^† Maximus II^† Μanuel I^† Germanus II^† Methodius II^† Manuel II^† Arsenius^† Nicephorus II^† Germanus III Joseph I John XI Gregory II Athanasius I John XII Nephon I John XIII Gerasimus I Isaias John XIV Isidore I Callistus I Philotheus Macarius Nilus Antony IV Callistus II Matthew I Euthymius II Joseph II Metrophanes II Gregory III Athanasius II
Patriarchs of Constantinople (Ottoman period, 1453–1923 AD)	Gennadius II Isidore II Joasaph I Sophronius I Mark II Symeon I Dionysius I Raphael I Maximus III Nephon II Maximus IV Joachim I Pachomius I Theoleptus I Jeremias I Joannicius I Dionysius II Joasaph II Metrophanes III Jeremias II Pachomius II Theoleptus II Matthew II Gabriel I Theophanes I Meletius I Neophytus II Raphael II Cyril I Timothy II Gregory IV Anthimus II Cyril II Athanasius III Neophytus III Parthenius I Parthenius II Joannicius II Cyril III Paisius I Parthenius III Gabriel II Parthenius IV Dionysius III Clement Methodius III Dionysius IV Gerasimus II Athanasius IV James Callinicus II Neophytus IV Gabriel III Neophytus V Cyprianus Athanasius V Cyril IV Cosmas III Jeremias III (Callinicus III) Paisius II Seraphim I Neophytus VI Cyril V Callinicus IV (III) Seraphim II Joannicius III Samuel Meletius II Theodosius II Sophronius II Gabriel IV Procopius Neophytus VII Gerasimus III Gregory V Callinicus V (IV) Jeremias IV Cyril VI Eugenius II Anthimus III Chrysanthus Agathangelus Constantius I Constantius II Gregory VI Anthimus IV Anthimus V Germanus IV Meletius III Anthimus VI Cyril VII Joachim II Sophronius III Joachim III Joachim IV Dionysius V Neophytus VIII Anthimus VII Constantine V Germanus V Meletius IV
Patriarchs of Constantinople (Turkish period, since 1923 AD)	Gregory VII Constantine VI Basil III Photius II Benjamin Maximus V Athenagoras Demetrius Bartholomew
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