Achillas was the 18th
Patriarch of Alexandria, reigning from 312 to 313.
He was born in
Alexandria, Egypt
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
, and was renowned for his knowledge and piety; this was why
Pope Theonas had ordained him priest and appointed him head of the
Catechetical School of Alexandria
The Catechetical School of Alexandria was a school of Christian theologians and bishops and deacons in Alexandria. The teachers and students of the school (also known as the Didascalium) were influential in many of the early theological controver ...
upon the departure of
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 ...
. He was apparently very highly thought of for his work in Greek philosophy and theological science, as
Pope Athanasius later described him by the honorific "Achillas the Great".
Atiya, Aziz S.
Aziz Suryal Atiya ( ar, عزيز سوريال عطية, ; July 5, 1898 – September 24, 1988) was an Egyptian Coptologist who was a Coptic historian and scholar and an expert in Islamic and Crusades studies.
Atiya was the founder of the I ...
''The Coptic Encyclopedia''. New York:Macmillan Publishing Company, 1991. .
As recommended by
Pope Peter, he was enthroned patriarch in
December (Kiahk) 312 AD, after the martyrdom of Peter during the
Diocletianic Persecution
The Diocletianic or Great Persecution was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. In 303, the emperors Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius issued a series of edicts rescinding Christians' legal rig ...
.
Monks of Ramsgate. “Achillas”. ''Book of Saints'', 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 30 April 2012
/ref> He yielded to the request of Arius, who had been condemned by Peter, to return to his former position as priest and preacher.
Achillas died six months later on the 19th of Paoni
Paoni ( cop, Ⲡⲁⲱⲛⲓ, ''Paōni''), also known as Payni ( grc-gre, Παϋνί, ''Paüní'') and Ba'unah. ( ar, بؤونه, ''Ba'una''), is the tenth month of the ancient Egyptian and Coptic calendars. It lasts between June 8 and July 7 of ...
(26 June), in 313.
After his death, Arius nominated himself to become Bishop of Alexandria, but the clergy and the people chose Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
instead.
References
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Achillas Of Alexandria
4th-century Popes and Patriarchs of Alexandria
Deans of the Catechetical School of Alexandria
Saints from Roman Egypt
4th-century Christian saints
313 deaths