Alexander of Alexandria
The bishop of Alexandria who excommunicated Arius and attended the Council of Nicaea. He died soon afterwards and was succeeded by his deacon Athanasius.
Alexander became bishop of Alexandria after Achillas, in the peace that followed the persecution. When the presbyter Arius opposed his teaching, he excommunicated him and wrote to bishops everywhere to explain why; Socrates preserves the letter (Socrates, Church History 1.5–6). He attended the First Council of Nicaea, whose bishops commended him to his church as one who had laboured for peace at a great age (Council of Nicaea (325) synodal letter), and whose sixth canon confirmed the authority of his see over Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis (Council of Nicaea (325) canon 6). He died in 328, after sending out that year’s Easter letter, and Athanasius succeeded him (Athanasius, Festal Letter Festal Index 1).
In the timeline
- May AD 325, firm dateThe First Council of Nicaea
Constantine gathers some three hundred bishops at Nicaea over the teaching of Arius. They confess the Son to be “of one substance with the Father”, agree a common date for Easter and issue twenty canons. Catholic, Orthodox and Reformation churches still appeal to the council.