Alexander of Alexandria (c. 250–328). Born around 250, likely in Alexandria, Egypt, Alexander was a Christian bishop and theologian pivotal in combating Arianism. Little is known of his early life, but he emerged as a priest under Bishop Peter of Alexandria, succeeding him as patriarch in 313. Educated in Scripture and Hellenistic philosophy, Alexander’s preaching, delivered in Greek, emphasized Christ’s divinity and unity with the Father, countering the teachings of his deacon Arius, who claimed Christ was a created being. In 318, he convened a synod condemning Arianism, excommunicating Arius, a decision upheld at the Council of Nicaea (325), where Alexander helped shape the Nicene Creed. His sermons, preserved in fragments, rallied Alexandria’s Christians against heresy, fostering unity. He authored letters, like those to Bishop Alexander of Constantinople, defending orthodoxy, though few survive. As patriarch, he mentored Athanasius, his successor. Unmarried, as a celibate bishop, he left no family. Alexander died in 328 in Alexandria, saying, “The Son is of one substance with the Father, eternal and divine.”