St. Athanasius is a Doctor of the Church, Bishop and one of the most dedicated opponents to the heresy of Arianism. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt around 296 to a prominent family. He was raised as a Christian and was influenced by Bishop Alexander of Alexandria, later becoming his secretary in 318 after receiving ordination as a deacon. He accompanied Alexander to the Council of Nicaea in 325 and, upon his return to Alexandria in 328, was named bishop of the see. He also became spiritual leader of the desert hermits of the region. St. Athanasius was a friend of St. Anthony of the Desert (250-356) and is credited with writing his biography.

The heresy of Arianism was the chief crisis for Athanasius in the early years of his episcopacy. In 330, Emperor Constantine I, also known as Constatine the Great, was persuaded to command Athanasius to allow Arians to communion, an order that Athanasius refused. He was then accused of crimes by the heretical Arians. He was tried and proven innocent, but new charges were made; this time he was accused of killing a bishop who was actually very much alive and merely in hiding. The Arians held a synod to discuss these charges, but Athanasius refused to attend it. He did go to the Council of Tyre, Lebanon, in 335, summoned by the emperor. The Arians assembled at Tyre and managed to have Athanasius exiled to Trier, Germany. There Athanasius was welcomed by Bishop Maximinus and Constantine II, the eldest son of the emperor. This exile lasted two-and-a-half years. He returned to Alexandria in 338. By this time, the heresiarch Arius was dead, and Constantine’s empire had been divided among his sons.

The Arian leader Eusebius of Nicomedia, a major participant in the previous trials of Athanasius, managed to have him deposed again. Another man tried to take Athanasius’ place in Alexandria, but the people of Alexandria rioted and refused to accept him as their bishop. Athanasius went to Rome to plead his cause before Pope St. Julius I. As the usurper died in 345, Athanasius was restored to Alexandria, although in the councils of 353 at Arles, France, and 255 in Milan, Italy, Athanasius was again condemned by the Arians. The persecution raged, culminating in a violent attack on Athanasius’ church, wounding many in the congregation.

Athanasius hid in Alexandria, but after a few days, fearing more assaults on his flock, he went into the Egyptian desert. He spent six years there as a hermit, writing his Apology to Constantius, the Apology for His Flight, the Letter to the Monks, and the History of the Arians.

On February 22, 362, Athanasius reentered Alexandria amid jubilant crowds, but he was exiled again by Emperor Julian the Apostate and returned to the desert. He stayed there until Julian died in 363 and Emperor Jovian reinstalled him. Only eight months later, Athanasius was again ousted by Jovian’s successor, Valens. Four months later, after hiding in his father’s tomb, Athanasius was restored to his see permanently. He spent his last years consolidating the doctrines of the Council of Nicaea. He died in Alexandria on May 2, 373.

Athanasius is called “the Father of Orthodoxy,” “the Pillar of the Church,” and “Champion of Christ’s Divinity.” His efforts at defeating Arianism helped lay the groundwork for the triumph of Orthodox Christianity at the Council of Constantinople in 381, years after Athanasius’ death. He did not compose the Athanasian Creed, but it was drawn from his writings. He is a Doctor of the Church, and his most important theological writings include: Contra Gentes and De Incarnatione Verbi Dei. St. Athanasius is declared a Doctor of the Church which are certain men and women who are revered by the Church for the special value of their writings and preaching and the sanctity of their lives. They each made important and lasting contributions to the faith and are to be recognized for their great merits.

To be declared a Doctor of the Church, you have to meet three basic requirements.

1. First, you must have lived a life of exemplary holiness, or insignis vitae sanctitas (outstanding sanctity). In short, you have to be a saint.
   

2. Second, to be a Doctor of the Church you must have deepened the whole Church’s understanding of the Catholic Faith with emins doctrina (eminent teaching). Which is to say, sanctity isn’t enough. There are thousands of saints, but only 37 Doctors of the Church. To be a Doctor one must do more than just live the Faith. Rather, one must significantly and profoundly contribute to our understanding of Divine Revelation, helping us to know more deeply some truth about God and His actions in the World.
   

3. And third, a pope must officially declare you a Doctor. That being said, as the Church understands it, when a pope declares someone a Doctor of the Church, he’s not so much making someone a Doctor as he is recognizing what the Holy Spirit has already done - that He has conferred the charism of Doctor upon them.