THE LAST EXILE
IT was not safe for Athanasius to remain long in the neighborhood of
Alexandria, for the pagans were now having it all their own way. Two
of the bravest and most faithful of his clergy had been seized and
exiled, and Julian's troops were searching everywhere for the
Patriarch. Athanasius made his way to the Thebaid, where he was
received with all the old enthusiasm. Under cover of the night, he
came up the river to Hermopolis, intending to stay there for some time
to preach to the people. The banks of the river were crowded with
bishops, monks and clergy who had come out to welcome their Father.
Athanasius landed and, mounted on an ass led by Theodore, Abbot of
Tabenna, proceeded to the town escorted by a vast throng of people
carrying torches and singing hymns of praise. Here he dismounted, and
the monks asked him for his blessing.
"Blessed indeed and worthy of all praise are these men who carry
always the cross of the Lord," he replied.
After having stayed for some time at Hermopolis, he went with the
Abbot Theodore to his monastery of Tabenna, where he was already
beloved by all. He took the keenest interest in everything that
related to the religious life, even to the work of the humblest
brother. "It is these men, devoted to humility and obedience," he
would often say, "who are our fathers, rather than we theirs."
Round about him lay the great cities of ancient Egypt--"Thebes of the
Hundred Gates" and Memphis, the old capital of the kingdom--cities of
the dead whose glories had already passed away. The glory that these
men had come to seek in their humble monasteries was one which is
eternal. The things of this world were small and fleeting to those who
lived in the thought of eternity.
It was a country full of holy memories. On the banks of that Nile that
flowed so tranquilly among the ancient cities of Egypt, Moses himself
had stood lifting hands of prayer for the deliverance of his people.
Later, the Salvation of the world Himself had come to dwell for a time
beside it, sowing the seeds that were now bringing forth so great a
harvest.
It was midsummer, and Athanasius was at Arsinoe when the news came
that the enemy was on his track once more. The Abbot Theodore, who was
visiting the Patriarch, persuaded him to embark in his covered boat
and to return with him to Tabenna. Tide and wind were against them;
the monks had to land and tow the boat; progress was slow, and the
soldiers of Julian were not far off. Athanasius was absorbed in
prayer, preparing for the martyr's death that, this time at least,
seemed very near.
"Fear not," said one of the monks called Ammon, "for God is our
protection."
"I have no fear," answered Athanasius; "for many long years I have
suffered persecution, and never has it disturbed the peace of my soul.
It is a joy to suffer, and the greatest of all joys is to give one's
life for Christ."
There was a silence during which all gave themselves to prayer. As the
Abbot Theodore besought God to save their Patriarch, it was suddenly
made known to him by a divine revelation that at that very moment the
Emperor Julian had met his death in battle against the Persians, and
that he had been succeeded by Jovian, a Christian and a Catholic. At
once he told the good news to Athanasius, advising him to go without
delay to the new Emperor and ask to be restored to his see.
In the meantime they had arrived in safety at Tabenna, where the monks
had assembled with joy on hearing of Athanasius' approach. Great was
their sorrow when they learned that he had only come to bid them
farewell. They gathered around him weeping, begging that he would
remember them in his prayers. "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem," cried
Athanasius in the words of the Psalmist, "let my right hand be
forgotten." The Emperor Jovian had been an officer in the Roman Army,
where his cheerful good nature had so endeared him to the soldiers
that he was proclaimed Emperor immediately on Julian's death. There
was no need to plead for justice with such a man; scarcely had
Athanasius arrived in Alexandria when he received a cordial letter
from the Emperor himself.
"Jovian--to Athanasius, the faithful servant of God," it ran. "As we
are full of admiration for the holiness of your life and your zeal in
the service of Christ our Saviour, we take you from this day forth
under our royal protection. We are aware of the courage which makes
you count as nothing the heaviest labors, the greatest dangers, the
sufferings of persecution and the fear of death. You have fought
faithfully for the Truth and edified the whole Christian world, which
looks to you as a model of every virtue. It is therefore our desire
that you should return to your See and teach the doctrine of
salvation. Come back to your people, feed the flock of Christ and pray
for our person, for it is through your prayers that we hope for the
blessing of God."
Another letter followed shortly afterward from the Emperor, asking
Athanasius to tell him plainly what was the true faith of the Catholic
Church and inviting him to visit him at Antioch.
The faith of Nicea was alone to be believed and held, replied the
Patriarch; it was that of the whole Catholic world, with the exception
of a few men who still held the doctrines of Arius. Nevertheless, he
thought it prudent to accept the Emperor's invitation and set out
shortly afterward for Antioch. It was well that he did so, for the
Arians were already on the spot. They had brought with them a man
called Lucius in the hope that they would be able to induce Jovian to
name him Patriarch of Alexandria in place of Athanasius.
"We are Alexandrians," they declared, "and we beseech your Majesty to
give us a Bishop."
"I have already ordered Athanasius to return to his See," was the
reply.
"We have proofs against him," they said; "he was condemned and
banished by Constantine and Constantius of blessed memory."
"All that was ten or twenty years ago," answered the Emperor; "it is
too late to rake it up again now. Besides, I know all about it by whom
he was accused and how he was banished. You need say no more."
The Arians persisted. "Give us whomever you like as Patriarch," they
said, "as long as it is not Athanasius. No one in the town will hold
communion with him."
"I have heard a very different story," said Jovian; "his teaching is
greatly appreciated."
"His teaching is well enough," they retorted, "but his heart is full
of malice."
"For his heart he must answer to God, who alone knows what is in it,"
replied the Emperor; "it is enough for me if his teaching is good."
The Arians at last lost patience. "He calls us heretics!" they
exclaimed indignantly.
"That is his duty and the duty of all those who guard the flock of
Christ" was the only reply they got.
The Emperor received Athanasius with the deepest respect and listened
eagerly to all he had to say on the subject of the true Faith.
After a short stay in Antioch, the Patriarch returned to Alexandria,
where he related to the people the success of his enterprise and spoke
much in praise of the new Emperor. Their joy was not destined to be
lasting. Jovian had been but a few months on the throne when he died
suddenly on his way from Antioch to Constantinople. He was succeeded
by Valentinian, who, unfortunately for the peace of the Church, chose
his brother Valens to help him in the government, taking the West for
his own share of the Empire and leaving the East to his brother.
Valens, who was both weak and cruel, had an Arian wife and declared at
once in favor of the Arians. The East was once more to be the scene of
strife and persecution. The Emperor, who had not yet been baptized,
received the Sacrament at the hands of Eudoxius, the Arian Bishop of
Constantinople, a worthy successor of Eusebius, who, in the middle of
the ceremony, made Valens take an oath that he would remain faithful
to the Arians and pursue the Catholics with every rigor.
The Emperor thus won over, the Arians began to persecute and slander
those who were faithful to the Church; several were even put to death.
The Catholics, in desperation, resolved at last to send an embassy to
Valens to ask for justice, eighty priests and clerics being chosen to
make the petition.
The Emperor, who pretended to listen patiently to their complaints,
had given secret orders to Modestus, the Prefect of the Pretorian
Guard, to put them all to death. Modestus was as cruel as his master;
but even in Nicomedia, where Arius and Eusebius had been so active in
preaching heresy, the bulk of the people remained true to the Faith of
Nicea. Such a wholesale slaughter of innocent ecclesiastics would be
almost certain to cause a rising; the thing must be done secretly.
Summoning the doomed men to appear before him, Modestus informed them
that the Emperor had sentenced them to banishment. Glad to suffer
something for the Faith, they received the news with joy and were
promptly embarked on a ship which was supposedly to carry them to the
country of their exile. The crew, however, had received their orders
from Modestus. They set the ship on fire and escaped in the only boat,
leaving the eighty martyrs to perish in the flames. After this, it was
evidently useless to appeal to Valens for justice.
The Governors of the different provinces soon received orders to drive
out all the Bishops banished by Constantius who had returned during
the reign of Julian. The people of Alexandria, however, protested that
Athanasius had not returned in the reign of Julian but had been
personally recalled by Jovian. The Governor of Egypt dared not insist,
for the citizens had gathered in force, determined to defend their
Bishop; but he warned the Emperor of the Catholic spirit of the
Alexandrians.
A few days later, Athanasius left the city to stay for a short time in
a country house in the neighborhood. It was a providential thing that
he did so. That very night the Governor, with a body of armed troops,
broke into the church where the Patriarch was usually to be found at
prayer. They searched everywhere and were much astonished to find that
their prey had escaped them. Athanasius, in the meantime, warned by
friends, had concealed himself in his father's tomb, a fairly large
vault, where a man might remain for some time in hiding. The secret
was well kept by the faithful, who brought food to the Patriarch
during the night and kept him informed of all that was passing in the
city. For four long months he remained in concealment: at the end of
which time the Governor, fearing an outbreak among the people--for the
whole of Egypt was in a ferment--persuaded Valens to let him return in
peace to his see.