(A.D. 326.)
[Roman Martyrology, and those of Bede, Usuardus, Ado, Notker, &c.
Authorities:--Sozomen, Socrates, Eusebius, and the Apology of S.
Athanasius.]
S. Alexander was patriarch of Alexander when Arius, the arch-heretic,
began to preach his denial of the eternal Godhead of Christ.
Alexander, one of the mildest of men, endeavoured by gentleness and
kind expostulation to bring the heretic back to the true belief. But
when he found that he was incorrigible, he summoned an assembly of his
clergy, and therein questioned Arius, and on his boldly proclaiming
his disbelief in the fundamental doctrine of the Catholic faith, he
excommunicated him. A council was called at Alexandria about the end
of the year 320, in which Arius was again tried, and the sentence of
excommunication was ratified by nearly one hundred bishops, who were
present. Alexander attended the famous General Council of Nicæa,
assembled in 325, which finally condemned the heresy of Arius. S.
Alexander, after this triumph of the faith, returned to Alexandria;
where, after having recommended S. Athanasius for his successor, he
died on the 26th February, in the year 326. For a fuller account of
the Arian heresy, and the Council of Nicæa, the reader is referred to
the life of S. Athanasius, (May 2nd.)