Alexandru al Ierusalimului


Sf. Alexandru al Ierusalimului

Date personale
Naștere	sfârșitul secolului II
Mutare la Domnul (†)	251, Capadocia
Localizare	Ierusalim
Naționalitate
Date cult
Tip	mucenic ierarh
Data canonizării	dată necunoscută
Prăznuire la data de	16 mai
Proclamare	pan-ortodoxă
Biserici patronate

Preafericitul Nicolae I Misticul (gr. Νικόλαος Α΄ Μυστικός, Nikolaos I Mystikos), a fost Sfântul sfințit mucenic Alexandru al Ierusalimului a trăit la sfârșitul secolului al doilea și începutul secolului al treilea. Episcop și mucenic, sfântul Alexandru a murit pe vremea persecuțiilor împăratului Deciu (249-251), la jumătatea secolului al III-lea. Este pomenit în Biserica Ortodoxă pe 16 mai și pe 12 decembrie ca ieromartir.

Viața

Alexandru a fost discipolul marelui învățător și scriitor al Bisericii, Clement al Alexandriei, pe care îl numește „învățătorul și binefăcătorul meu” într-o scrisoare către Origen citată de Eusebiu de Cezareea ^[1]. A fost primul episcop de Flavia, în Capadocia, iar mai apoi a fost desemnat co-administrator alături de episcopul Ierusalimului, Narcissus, care la vremea aceea avea 116 ani.

Pe timpul împăratului roman Alexandru Sever (222-235), Alexandru a fost închis pentru credința sa. După ce a fost eliberat din închisoare, a plecat la Ierusalim pentru a se închina la Sfintele Locuri. În timp ce se afla la Ierusalim, bătrânul episcop Narcissus l-a rugat să rămână și să-l ajute la conducerea scaunului episcopal. Acest fel de situație era un lucru extrem de rar în Biserica veche, el fiind însă acceptat și introdus cu consimțământul tuturor episcopilor din Palestina.

După moartea episcopului Narcissus în 212, i-a urmat imediat episcopul Alexandru, care a condus Biserica Ierusalimului timp de 38 de ani. În decursul acestor ani, Alexandru a înființat prima bibliotecă publică din Ierusalim cu lucrări de teologie creștină.

Alexandru i-a dat permisiunea lui Origen să predice în biserică, deși acesta din urmă era pe atunci doar un mirean. În urma acestei îngăduințe, Alexandru, nevoit fiind să-și justifice decizia, a afirmat că astfel de permisiuni au mai avut loc și-n alte părți și că lui Origen însuși i-a fost acordată această permisiune, deși pe atunci era foarte tânăr. Se spune că Alexandru și Origen au studiat împreună la Şcoala catehetică din Alexandria. Alexandru l-a hirotonit pe Origen preot în anul 230.

Deși era în vârstă, Alexandru a fost arestat între anii 249 și 251 împreună cu alți episcopi pe timpul persecuțiilor ce se făceau împotriva Bisericii creștine sub împăratul Deciu, iar mai apoi a fost dus în Capadocia. Despre întemnițarea sa s-a spus că : “Slava cărunteților sale împreună cu marea sa sfințenie, i-au împletit o dublă cunună în prizonierat”. Viața lui menționează că a suferit multe torturi cărora însă a supraviețuit. Atunci când în arenă au fost aduse fiare sălbatice pentru a-l devora, se spune că unele îi lingeau picioarele, iar altele se așezau pe nisip în arenă. Istovit de pe urma suferințelor, moare în închisoare în anul 251.

Scrieri

Episcopul și istoricul Eusebiu de Cezareea (275–339) cunoștea mai multe din scrisorile trimise de Alexandru antinoiților (populație creștină din Egipt) și citează din una din ele^[2]. O altă scrisoare cunoscută este adresată antiohienilor^[3], o a treia către Origen^[4] și o alta scrisă împreună cu Teoctist al Cezareei lui Demetrius al Alexandriei.^[5].

Note

↑ Eusebiu de Cezareea, Istoria bisericească, VI. 14, 9
↑ Eusebiu de Cezareea, Istoria bisericească, VI. 11: 1. But as on account of his great age Narcissus was no longer able to perform his official duties, the Providence of God called to the office with him, by a revelation given him in a night vision, the above-mentioned Alexander, who was then bishop of another parish. 2. Thereupon, as by Divine direction, he journeyed from the land of Cappadocia, where he first held the episcopate, to Jerusalem, in consequence of a vow and for the sake of information in regard to its places. They received him there with great cordiality, and would not permit him to return, because of another revelation seen by them at night, which uttered the clearest message to the most zealous among them. For it made known that if they would go outside the gates, they would receive the bishop foreordained for them by God. And having done this, with the unanimous consent of the bishops of the neighboring churches, they constrained him to remain. 3. Alexander, himself, in private letters to the Antinoites, which are still preserved among us, mentions the joint episcopate of Narcissus and himself, writing in these words at the end of the epistle: 4. "Narcissus salutes you, who held the episcopate here before me, and is now associated with me in prayers, being one hundred and sixteen years of age; and he exhorts you, as I do, to be of one mind." These things took place in this manner. But, on the death of Serapion, Asclepiades, who had been himself distinguished among the confessors during the persecution, succeeded to the episcopate of the church at Antioch. Alexander alludes to his appointment, writing thus to the church at Antioch: 5. "Alexander, a servant and prisoner of Jesus Christ, to the blessed church of Antioch, greeting in the Lord. The Lord has made my bonds during the time of my imprisonment light and easy, since I learned that, by the Divine Providence, Asclepiades, who in regard to the true faith is eminently qualified, has undertaken the bishopric of your holy church at Antioch." 6. He indicates that he sent this epistle by Clement, writing toward its close as follows: "My honored brethren, I have sent this letter to you by Clement, the blessed presbyter, a man virtuous and approved, whom you yourselves also know and will recognize. Being here, in the providence and oversight of the Master, he has strengthened and built up the Church of the Lord." (sursă: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250106.htm).
↑ Eusebiu de Cezareea, Istoria bisericească, VI. 11.
↑ Eusebiu de Cezareea, Istoria bisericească, VI. 14 : 8. Again the above-mentioned Alexander, in a certain letter to Origen, refers to Clement, and at the same time to Pantænus, as being among his familiar acquaintances. He writes as follows: For this, as you know, was the will of God, that the ancestral friendship existing between us should remain unshaken; nay, rather should be warmer and stronger. 9. For we know well those blessed fathers who have trodden the way before us, with whom we shall soon be; Pantænus, the truly blessed man and master, and the holy Clement, my master and benefactor, and if there is any other like them, through whom I became acquainted with you, the best in everything, my master and brother. 10. So much for these matters. But Adamantius, — for this also was a name of Origen—when Zephyrinus was bishop of Rome, visited Rome, "desiring," as he himself somewhere says, "to see the most ancient church of Rome." 11. After a short stay there he returned to Alexandria. And he performed the duties of catechetical instruction there with great zeal; Demetrius, who was bishop there at that time, urging and even entreating him to work diligently for the benefit of the brethren. (sursă: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250106.htm)
↑ Eusebiu de Cezareea, Istoria bisericească, VI. 19.

Casetă de succesiune: Alexandru al Ierusalimului
Precedat de: ?	Episcop de Capadocia ?-?	Urmat de: ?
Precedat de: Narcissus	Episcop al Ierusalimului 213-251	Urmat de: Mazabanis

Surse

Legături externe

Alexander of Jerusalem, St., bishop of Jerusalem, martyr.

[1] Eusebiu de Cezareea, Istoria bisericească, VI. 14, 9

[2] Eusebiu de Cezareea, Istoria bisericească, VI. 11: 1. But as on account of his great age Narcissus was no longer able to perform his official duties, the Providence of God called to the office with him, by a revelation given him in a night vision, the above-mentioned Alexander, who was then bishop of another parish. 2. Thereupon, as by Divine direction, he journeyed from the land of Cappadocia, where he first held the episcopate, to Jerusalem, in consequence of a vow and for the sake of information in regard to its places. They received him there with great cordiality, and would not permit him to return, because of another revelation seen by them at night, which uttered the clearest message to the most zealous among them. For it made known that if they would go outside the gates, they would receive the bishop foreordained for them by God. And having done this, with the unanimous consent of the bishops of the neighboring churches, they constrained him to remain. 3. Alexander, himself, in private letters to the Antinoites, which are still preserved among us, mentions the joint episcopate of Narcissus and himself, writing in these words at the end of the epistle: 4. "Narcissus salutes you, who held the episcopate here before me, and is now associated with me in prayers, being one hundred and sixteen years of age; and he exhorts you, as I do, to be of one mind." These things took place in this manner. But, on the death of Serapion, Asclepiades, who had been himself distinguished among the confessors during the persecution, succeeded to the episcopate of the church at Antioch. Alexander alludes to his appointment, writing thus to the church at Antioch: 5. "Alexander, a servant and prisoner of Jesus Christ, to the blessed church of Antioch, greeting in the Lord. The Lord has made my bonds during the time of my imprisonment light and easy, since I learned that, by the Divine Providence, Asclepiades, who in regard to the true faith is eminently qualified, has undertaken the bishopric of your holy church at Antioch." 6. He indicates that he sent this epistle by Clement, writing toward its close as follows: "My honored brethren, I have sent this letter to you by Clement, the blessed presbyter, a man virtuous and approved, whom you yourselves also know and will recognize. Being here, in the providence and oversight of the Master, he has strengthened and built up the Church of the Lord." (sursă: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250106.htm).

[3] Eusebiu de Cezareea, Istoria bisericească, VI. 11.

[4] Eusebiu de Cezareea, Istoria bisericească, VI. 14 : 8. Again the above-mentioned Alexander, in a certain letter to Origen, refers to Clement, and at the same time to Pantænus, as being among his familiar acquaintances. He writes as follows: For this, as you know, was the will of God, that the ancestral friendship existing between us should remain unshaken; nay, rather should be warmer and stronger. 9. For we know well those blessed fathers who have trodden the way before us, with whom we shall soon be; Pantænus, the truly blessed man and master, and the holy Clement, my master and benefactor, and if there is any other like them, through whom I became acquainted with you, the best in everything, my master and brother. 10. So much for these matters. But Adamantius, — for this also was a name of Origen—when Zephyrinus was bishop of Rome, visited Rome, "desiring," as he himself somewhere says, "to see the most ancient church of Rome." 11. After a short stay there he returned to Alexandria. And he performed the duties of catechetical instruction there with great zeal; Demetrius, who was bishop there at that time, urging and even entreating him to work diligently for the benefit of the brethren. (sursă: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250106.htm)

[5] Eusebiu de Cezareea, Istoria bisericească, VI. 19.

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Alexandru al Ierusalimului

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