2 May 373 A.D. Athanasius, the Great Nicean & Homoousiast, Died
2 May 373 A.D. Athanasius, the Great Nicean & Homoousiast, Died Saint Athanasius of Alexandria ( Greek : Ἀ θανάσιος Ἀ λεξανδρείας , Athanásios Alexandrías ; c . 296–298 – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great , Athanasius the Confessor or, primarily in the Coptic Orthodox Church , Athanasius the Apostolic , was the twentieth bishop of Alexandria (as Athanasius I ). His episcopate (because of the importance of the see, considered an archbishopric by Rome, the Coptic papacy, or an Orthodox patriarchate) lasted 45 years (c. 8 June 328 – 2 May 373), of which over 17 were spent in five exiles ordered by four different Roman emperors . Athanasius is a renowned Christian theologian , a Church Father , the chief defender of Trinitarianism against Arianism , and a noted Egyptian leader of the fourth century. Conflict with Arius and Arianism as well as successive Roman emperors shaped Athanasius' career. In 325, at the age of 27, Athanasius began his leading r...