Athanasius Succeeds Alexander, and His Boyhood

About this time Alexander, bishop of Alexandria, when he was about to depart this life, left Athanasius as his successor. This was in keeping, I am convinced, with the will of God, which directed the choice to him. It is said that Athanasius at first tried to escape the honor by flight, but that afterward Alexander compelled him, against his will, to accept the bishopric. Apollinaris the Syrian testifies to this in the following words: “In all these matters impiety stirred up much disturbance, but its first effects fell on this man’s blessed teacher, whom he stood beside as an assistant and to whom he behaved as a son to his father. Afterward this holy man himself went through the same experience. For when he was appointed to succeed to the bishopric, he fled to escape the honor; but he was found in his hiding place by the help of God, who had shown his blessed predecessor beforehand, by divine revelations, that the succession would fall to him. “For when Alexander was at the point of death, he called for Athanasius, who was then away. Another man of the same name, who happened to be present, heard him calling and answered; but Alexander said nothing to him, since it was not this man he was summoning. He called again, and, as often happens, the one who was present kept still, and so it became clear that it was the absent one he meant. Moreover, the blessed Alexander exclaimed prophetically, ‘Athanasius, you think you will escape, but you will not escape,’ meaning that Athanasius would be called to the struggle.” Such is the account Apollinaris gives of Athanasius. [a]

The Arians claim that after the death of Alexander, the followers of that bishop and those of Melitius held communion together, and that fifty-four bishops from Thebes and other parts of Egypt met and agreed on oath to choose by common vote the man who could best govern the church of Alexandria. But, they say, seven of the bishops broke their oath and, against the opinion of all, secretly ordained Athanasius; and for this reason many of the people and of the Egyptian clergy withdrew from communion with him. For my part, I am convinced that it was by divine appointment that Athanasius succeeded to the high priesthood. For he was eloquent and intelligent, and able to stand against plots, and the times had the greatest need of such a man. He showed great aptitude in carrying out the work of the church and fitness for the priesthood, and he was, so to speak, self-taught from his earliest years. [c]

It is said that the following incident happened to him in his youth. The Alexandrians had the custom of celebrating, with great ceremony every year, a festival in honor of one of their bishops, Peter, who had suffered martyrdom. Alexander, who then governed the church, took part in the celebration of this festival. After finishing the worship he stayed on the spot, waiting for some guests he expected to breakfast. Meanwhile he happened to look toward the sea, and he saw some children playing on the shore, amusing themselves by imitating the bishop and the ceremonies of the church. At first he thought the mimicry innocent and enjoyed watching it; but when they touched on the things that may not be spoken, he was troubled and told the chief of the clergy. The children were called together and questioned about the game they were playing, and about what they did and said while they were playing it. At first, out of fear, they denied it; but when Alexander threatened them with torture, they confessed that Athanasius was their bishop and leader, and that many children who had not been initiated had been baptized by him. Alexander inquired carefully what the priest of their game used to say and do, and what they answered or were taught. When he found that they had exactly observed the routine of the church, he consulted the priests around him about it. He decided that there was no need to rebaptize those who, in their simplicity, had been judged worthy of the divine grace. So he only performed for them such rites as are lawful only for those consecrated to initiate into the mysteries. Then he took Athanasius and the other children, who had played the parts of presbyters and deacons, to their own relatives, with God as witness, so that they might be brought up for the church and for leadership in what they had imitated.

Not long afterward he took Athanasius as his table companion and secretary. Athanasius had been well educated and was trained in grammar and rhetoric. Already, when he reached manhood and before he became bishop, he showed those who talked with him that he was a man of wisdom and understanding. But when, on the death of Alexander, the succession fell to him, his reputation grew greatly. It was upheld by his own personal virtues and by the testimony of the monk Antony the Great. This monk came to him when he asked for him, visited the cities with him, went with him to the churches, and agreed with him in his opinion about the Godhead. He showed him boundless friendship and avoided the company of his enemies and opponents.