Achillas of Alexandria
Encyclopedia
Pope Achillas of Alexandria was the eighteenth Pope of Alexandria (head of the church that became the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Greek Church of Alexandria) between 312
and 313
.
Achillas had been ordained a presbyter
by Pope Theonas of Alexandria with Pierius
, and was made the head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria
upon the departure of Pierius, who had either left for Rome or been made a martyr at Alexandria. He was apparently very highly thought of for his work in Greek philosophy and theological science, as Athanasius of Alexandria
later described him by the honorific "Achillas the Great".
He came to office after the execution of his predecessor, Peter of Alexandria, during the Diocletian Persecution
. He inherited the troubles the church was experiencing at the time, including the Meletian heresy.
He is commemorated in the Synaxarion of the Coptic Orthodox Church on 19 Ba'ūnah.
312
Year 312 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantinus and Licinianus...
and 313
313
Year 313 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantinus and Licinianus...
.
Achillas had been ordained a presbyter
Presbyter
Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations, then a synonym of episkopos...
by Pope Theonas of Alexandria with Pierius
Pierius
Pierius was a Christian priest and probably head of the catechetical school of Alexandria, conjointly with Achillas. He flourished while Theonas was bishop of Alexandria, and died at Rome after 309. The Roman Martyrology commemorates him on 4 November....
, and was made the head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria
Catechetical School of Alexandria
The Catechetical School of Alexandria was and is a place for the training of Christian theologians and priests in Alexandria. The teachers and students of the school were influential in many of the early theological controversies of the Christian church.The earliest recorded instructor at the...
upon the departure of Pierius, who had either left for Rome or been made a martyr at Alexandria. He was apparently very highly thought of for his work in Greek philosophy and theological science, as Athanasius of Alexandria
Athanasius of Alexandria
Athanasius of Alexandria [b. ca. – d. 2 May 373] is also given the titles St. Athanasius the Great, St. Athanasius I of Alexandria, St Athanasius the Confessor and St Athanasius the Apostolic. He was the 20th bishop of Alexandria. His long episcopate lasted 45 years Athanasius of Alexandria [b....
later described him by the honorific "Achillas the Great".
He came to office after the execution of his predecessor, Peter of Alexandria, during the Diocletian Persecution
Diocletian Persecution
The Diocletianic Persecution was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman empire. In 303, Emperor Diocletian and Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius issued a series of edicts rescinding the legal rights of Christians and demanding that they comply with traditional Roman...
. He inherited the troubles the church was experiencing at the time, including the Meletian heresy.
Meletius of Lycopolis
Meletius was bishop of Lycopolis in Egypt. He is known to us mainly as the founder and namesake of the Melitians , one of several scismatic sects in early church history which were concerned about the ease with which lapsed Christians reentered the Church. See also DonatismThe details of his life...
He is commemorated in the Synaxarion of the Coptic Orthodox Church on 19 Ba'ūnah.