Saint Athanasius, the Father of Orthodoxy

								

though the son of St. Helena, had prayed to the God of the Christians
to give him the victory over his enemies. His prayers had been heard.
In the brightness of the noonday sky there appeared a sign which
outshone the sun in splendor--the image of the Cross of Christ. "In
this sign thou shalt conquer" was traced in fiery letters across it,
and the Emperor and all his army saw and believed.
With the Cross as standard, Constantine marched against his enemies
and defeated them. From that day forth he became a catechumen and the
protector and friend of the Christians. His first act was to publish
an edict, the Edict of Milan, which gave them full liberty to practice
their religion, build churches and preach. Thus the Church came forth
at last from the dark night of persecution, but her life on earth is
ever a warfare against the powers of evil, and other dangers lay
ahead.
The Emperor began by making humane laws. He abolished the punishment
of crucifixion out of reverence for the Son of God, who had died upon
the Cross, put a stop to the cruel games of the arena and bettered the
condition of the slaves.
Constantine's nature was really a noble one, but there was much in him
still of the pagan and the barbarian. Unfortunately for himself and
for the world, he fell under the influence of Eusebius, Bishop of
Nicomedia.
This man, who was said to have apostatized during the persecution of
Maxentius and who had intruded himself, no one quite knew how, into
the See of Nicomedia, had begun by winning the good graces of
Constantia, the Emperor's sister. During the time when Constantia's
husband, Licinius, was at war with her brother, Eusebius was his
staunch friend, upholding him in his rebellion against the Emperor;
but on the defeat of Licinius, the Bishop at once transferred his
friendship to the conqueror, Constantine. Bishop Eusebius resembled
Arius in his want of reverence and of honesty, and had taken Arius'
side against the Patriarch, Alexander, praising openly the teaching of
Arius and declaring that his only wish was that all men should share
his opinions. He had even dared to write in Arius' favor to the
Patriarch, declaring insolently that he had been unjustly deposed.
Alexander was growing old, but the Faith was in peril; it was a moment
for vigorous action. Moreover, at his side, like a faithful watchdog,
stood his secretary, the young deacon Athanasius. Circular letters
were sent to Pope St. Sylvester and to all the Bishops warning them of
the new danger that was threatening the Church. "Since Eusebius has
placed himself at the head of these apostates," wrote Alexander, "it
is necessary that it should be made known to all the faithful, lest
they should be deceived by their hypocrisy."
Eusebius and Arius were both astonished and disgusted at the firm
attitude of the Patriarch. Athanasius was at the bottom of it, they
declared, and they vowed an undying hatred against him. The Emperor