Alexander of Jerusalem

Saint Alexander of Jerusalem

Bishop and Martyr
Born	2nd century AD
Died	251 AD Caesarea Maritima, Syria Palaestina
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Churches Oriental Orthodox Churches
Canonized	Pre-Congregation
Feast	March 18 (Roman Catholic Church) May 16/29 and December 12/25 (Eastern Orthodox Churches)

Saint Alexander of Jerusalem (died 251 AD) is venerated as a Martyr and Saint by both the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. He died during the persecution of Emperor Decius.^[1]

He was the first Bishop of Cappadocia and was afterwards associated as coadjutor with the Bishop of Jerusalem, Saint Narcissus, who was then 116 years old. Alexander had been imprisoned for his faith in the time of Roman Emperor Alexander Severus. After his release, he came to Jerusalem, where he was compelled by the aged bishop to remain and assist him in the government of that see. This arrangement, however, was entered into with the consent of all the bishops of Palestine (Syria Palaestina). It was Alexander who permitted Origen, although only a layman, to speak in the churches. For this concession he was taken to task, but he defended himself by examples of other permissions of the same kind given even to Origen himself elsewhere, although then quite young. Alban Butler says that they had studied together in the great Christian school of Alexandria. Alexander ordained him a priest.

Alexander is praised for the library he built at Jerusalem.

Finally, in spite of his years, he, with several other bishops, was carried off a prisoner to Caesarea, and as the historians say, "The glory of his white hairs and great sanctity formed a double crown for him in captivity".^[2] His vita states that he suffered many tortures, but survived them all. When the wild beasts were brought to devour him, some licked his feet, and others their impress on the sand of the arena. Worn out by his sufferings, he died in prison. This was in the year 251.

His feast is kept by the Roman Catholic Church on March 18, by the Eastern Orthodox Churches on May 16/29^[3] and December 12/25.^[4]

Eusebius has preserved fragments of a letter written by him to the Antinoïtes; of another to the Antiochenes;^[5] of a third to Origen;^[6] and of another, written in conjunction with Theoctistus of Caesarea, to Demetrius of Alexandria.^[7]

Though at his time Jerusalem was officially known as Aelia Capitolina, the name used by the Roman authorities since the city was rebuilt by the Emperor Hadrian, Christian tradition persisted in using the original name.

References

↑ Christie, Albany James (1867). "Alexander". In William Smith. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. 1. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. p. 115. Archived from the original on 2007-05-18.
↑ Campbell, Thomas. "St. Alexander." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 22 Sept. 2012
↑ (in Greek)Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ Ἱερομάρτυρας Ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Ἱεροσολύμων. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
↑ (in Greek)Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ Μάρτυρας. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
↑ Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, vi. 11.
↑ Eusebius, "Ecclesiastical History, vi. 14"
↑ Eusebius, "Ecclesiastical History, vi. 19"

External links

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Alexander of Jerusalem

Patron Saints Index: Saint Alexander of Jerusalem

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Alexander". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton.

Bishops and Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Jerusalem
Bishops of Jerusalem	James, brother of Jesus Simeon of Jerusalem Justus Zacchaeus Tobias Benjamin John I Matthias Philip Senecas Justus II Levis Ephram Joseph I Judas Marcus Cassianus Poplius Maximus I Julian I Gaius I Symmachus Gaius II Julian II Capion Maximus II Antoninus Valens Dolichianus Narcissus Dius Germanion Gordius Alexander of Jerusalem Mazabanis Imeneus Zamudas Ermon Macarius Maximus III Cyril I John II Praulius
Patriarchs of Jerusalem	Juvenal Anastasius I Martyrius Sallustius Elias John III Peter Macarius II Eustochius John IV Amos Isaac Zacharias Modestus Sophronius Anastasius II John V Theodore Elias II George Thomas I Basileus John VI Sergius I Solomon Theodosius Elias III Sergius II Leontius I Athanasius I Christodulus Agathon John VII Christodulus II Thomas II Joseph II Orestes Theophilus I Nicephorus I Joannichius Sophronius II Euthemius Simon II Savvas^§ John VIII^§ Nicolas^§ John IX^§ Nicephorus II^§ Leontius II^§ Dositheos I Marcus II Euthemius II Athanasius II Sophronius III Gregory I Thaddaeus Athanasius III Gregory II Lazarus Dorotheus I Theophilus II Theophanes I Joachim Theophanes II Athanasius IV Jacob II Abraham I Gregory III Marcus III Dorotheus II Germanus Sophronius IV Theophanes III Paiseus Nectarius I Dositheos II Chrysanthus Meletius Parthenius Ephram II Sophronius V Abraham II Procopius I Anthemus Polycarpus Athanasius V Cyril II Procopius II Hierotheus Nicodemus I Gerasimus I Damian I Timotheus I Benedict I Diodoros I Irenaios I Theophilus III
^§: in exile at Constantinople due to the Latin rule over Jerusalem

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