Who is St. Athanasius the Apostolic?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

St. Athanasius the Apostolic is one of the most towering figures in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church and all of Christendom. He is the 20th Pope of Alexandria and is famously known as the "Defender of the Faith" and "Athanasius Contra Mundum" (Athanasius against the world).

1. The Defender of Orthodoxy and Nicaea

St. Athanasius is best known for his central role in defending the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ against the Arian heresy. Arius, a heretic, falsely taught that the Son was a created being and not co-eternal with the Father.

• While still a deacon, Athanasius accompanied Pope Alexander to the Council of Nicaea (325 AD).
• He was the primary architect of the Nicene Creed, championing the term "Homoousios", meaning "of the same essence/substance" with the Father.

2. His Relationship with Monasticism

St. Athanasius had a profoundly close relationship with St. Anthony the Great, the "Father of Monks."

• Athanasius was a disciple of St. Anthony and served him personally.
• He wrote the famous book The Life of Antony, which was instrumental in spreading the ideals of monasticism throughout the East and West.
• During his periods of exile, he often found refuge among the monks in the Egyptian desert, who protected their beloved Pope from the Roman authorities.

3. A Life of Persecution and Exile

Because he refused to compromise the truth of the Orthodox faith, St. Athanasius was exiled five times from his throne by various Roman emperors who were influenced by the Arians. He spent over 17 years of his 45-year papacy in exile and hiding. His steadfastness earned him the title "The Apostolic" because he lived and suffered like the Apostles.

4. His Theological Contributions

His writings remain the foundation of Coptic Orthodox Christology. Two of his most important works are:

• On the Incarnation of the Word: where he explains why God became man for our salvation—famously stating, "He was made human that we might be made gods" (meaning partakers of the divine nature through grace).
• Four Discourses Against the Arians: a robust biblical defense of the divinity of Christ.

5. The Biblical Canon

It was St. Athanasius who, in his 39th Festal Letter (367 AD), listed the exact 27 books of the New Testament as we have them today, finalizing the canon for the Church.

In our Liturgy, we remember him in the Diptych (the Commemoration of the Saints) as a pillar and a light of the Church. He represents the living truth that no matter how much the world attacks the truth of Christ, the Orthodox Faith remains unshakable.