February 8. Athanasius. Athanasius, whose nickname was “Black Dwarf,” was a theologian, a church leader, and an Egyptian political leader. If he had lived in the twenty-first century, instead of the fourth, we would call him an influencer—maybe Chief Influencer.
For forty-five years he was Bishop of Alexandria, and his congregation included all of Egypt and Libya. During that time, he was exiled—thrown out of the country—five different times—on trumped up charges brought by his religious enemies.
On this date in the year 356, soldiers stormed a church, and Athanasius narrowly escaped. Here’s how it happened.
When a man changes the truth, that’s the act of the devil. But when the truth changes a man, that’s an act of God.
Early in the fourth century, some false teachers in the church hid behind a thin veil of religious civility and tried to poison the minds of people who wanted to know God. These lie-spreaders fought the one man they envied the most—Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria. The politics involved got Athanasius exiled from Egypt more than once.
After one six-year-long exile, when Athanasius was able to safely return to Egypt, the people of Alexandria were thrilled to have him back. They crowded in from every corner of the city and cheered.
Under the Egyptian sun, they ushered Athanasius through crowds of people waving palm fronds in his honor. As he breathed in the familiar scent of sand and sea, he must have thanked God he was finally home in Alexandria to lead God’s people again.
He immediately set to work building up his fellow bishops and caring for the orphans and widows. Most importantly, he warned the people about men who twist or distort the Scriptures.
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3–4 ESV).
Years passed, and all seemed well, but in secret, the haters were again plotting against Athanasius.
It was winter, and without warning, a Roman general named Syrianus marched into town with a large contingent of soldiers, and he gave no reason for even being in Alexandria.
Athanasius went out and met him and reminded him that the Emperor had promised to leave Alexandria at peace. A deep foreboding enveloped the city as the band of soldiers set up their camp. No one knew why they were there or what was coming, but whatever it was—it couldn’t be good.
Midnight, three weeks later, Athanasius was leading an all-night prayer service at the Church of St. Theonas. The dimly lit sanctuary was full of people. Suddenly the air shook. Stomping feet rumbled. Armor clanged. And a host of startled people shouted.
Syrianus and his troops had surrounded the church. They intended to overrun the church and take Athanasius dead or alive.
Athanasius refused to leave the building. Sitting still in prayer, he told one of his deacons to read Psalm 135 out loud. “Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD …” the deacon began.
But the monks and clergy in the sanctuary interrupted and begged Athanasius to leave the building at once. “Not until all have left the church,” he replied. He wanted his people out safely.
By the end of the psalm, chaos was in full tilt as Syrianus stormed the church, and the people tried to escape. Some were trampled. Others fell to the sword. The scene was so painful to watch, Athanasius collapsed. A crowd of monks and clergy surrounded him, lifted him off his feet, and carried him out of the building. Miraculously, Athanasius escaped the soldiers unharmed. He later said he believed “God covered their eyes.”
Lies you hear, you are responsible to correct; will you? When a man changes the truth, that’s the act of the devil. But when the truth changes a man, that’s an act of God.
Forbes, F.A. Saint Athanasius. Rockford: Tan Books and Publishers, Inc., 1998. p. 62.
Metropolitan Ephraim of Boston. “Saint Athanasius and the Arian Controversy.” Toronto Orthodox Conference lecture, 1996. Accessed September 26, 2020. In Defense of the Faith. http://orthodoxyinfo.org/.StAthanasius.html.
Athanasius. “Five-time exile for fighting ‘orthodoxy.’” Christian History. Accessed September 26, 2020. Christianity Today. https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/theologians/athanasius.html.
“Athanasius and the Creed of Christ.” Timeline. Originally published May3, 2010. Christianity.com. https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/301–600/athanasius-and-the-creed-of-christ-11629667. html.
“#108: Athanasius on Christ.” from The Incarnation of the Word by St Athanasius, Trans. by Rev. A. Robertson. Accessed September 26, 2020. Christian History Institute. https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/athanasius.
“Council of Nicea” from The History of the Church; Book 1, chapter 8 published by Socrates Scholasticus. Accessed September 26, 2020. Christian History Institute. https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/nicea.
Story read by Blake Mattocks
Story written by Toni M Babcock, https://www.facebook.com/toni.babcock.1