Saint Spotlight: St. Peter, Archbishop of Alexandria
Forced into exile from the city during the anti-Christian persecutions under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian, St. Peter traveled through many lands, encouraging his flock by letter. Again returned to his city, in order to guide the Alexandrian Church personally during this dangerous period. The saint secretly visited Christians locked up in prison, encouraging them to be steadfast in faith, assisting the widows and orphans, preaching the Word of God, constantly praying and officiating at the divine services. And the Lord kept him safe from the hands of the persecutors.
St. Peter, being responsible for the right teachings of his flock, was led to excommunicate Arius, a priest who taught that Jesus Christ did not have a divine nature. Arius begged for the excommunication to be lifted pretending that he had repented and given up his false teachings. This was not true, for Arius hoped to succeed Saint Peter as Archbishop of Alexandria. St. Peter, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, saw through the wickedness and deceit of Arius, and so he instructed his flock not to believe Arius nor to accept him into communion.
Christ once appeared to St. Peter as a child wearing a robe that was torn in two. St. Peter asked Christ who had torn his garment, and He replied, “That madman Arius has torn it by dividing the people whom I have redeemed by My blood. Do not receive him into Communion with the Church, for he has worked evil against Me and My flock.”
Under the wise nurturing of St. Peter the Church of Alexandria strengthened and grew in spite of the persecutions. But finally, on orders from the emperor Maximian, the saint was arrested and sentenced to death. A multitude of people gathered at the entrance of the prison, expressing their outrage. Wanting to avoid bloodshed and a riot by the people, the saint sent a message to the authorities, in which he suggested that they make an opening in the back wall of the prison so that he might be taken away secretly to execution.
In the dark of the night, in the year 311, St. Peter went with the executioners, who took him beyond the city walls and beheaded him where St. Mark had been executed. That night a certain pious virgin heard a Voice from heaven saying, “Peter was first among the Apostles; Peter is the last of the Alexandrian Martyrs.” In the morning, when people learned of the death of their bishop, a crowd gathered at the place of execution. They took up the body, went to church, dressed him in his bishop’s vestments, and placed him on the high altar throne. During his life St. Peter never sat on it, but sat on a footstool instead, believing whenever he approached his throne a heavenly light was shining on it, sensing the presence of divine power, he didn’t dare to sit there.
St. Peter, being responsible for the right teachings of his flock, was led to excommunicate Arius, a priest who taught that Jesus Christ did not have a divine nature. Arius begged for the excommunication to be lifted pretending that he had repented and given up his false teachings. This was not true, for Arius hoped to succeed Saint Peter as Archbishop of Alexandria. St. Peter, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, saw through the wickedness and deceit of Arius, and so he instructed his flock not to believe Arius nor to accept him into communion.
Christ once appeared to St. Peter as a child wearing a robe that was torn in two. St. Peter asked Christ who had torn his garment, and He replied, “That madman Arius has torn it by dividing the people whom I have redeemed by My blood. Do not receive him into Communion with the Church, for he has worked evil against Me and My flock.”
Under the wise nurturing of St. Peter the Church of Alexandria strengthened and grew in spite of the persecutions. But finally, on orders from the emperor Maximian, the saint was arrested and sentenced to death. A multitude of people gathered at the entrance of the prison, expressing their outrage. Wanting to avoid bloodshed and a riot by the people, the saint sent a message to the authorities, in which he suggested that they make an opening in the back wall of the prison so that he might be taken away secretly to execution.
In the dark of the night, in the year 311, St. Peter went with the executioners, who took him beyond the city walls and beheaded him where St. Mark had been executed. That night a certain pious virgin heard a Voice from heaven saying, “Peter was first among the Apostles; Peter is the last of the Alexandrian Martyrs.” In the morning, when people learned of the death of their bishop, a crowd gathered at the place of execution. They took up the body, went to church, dressed him in his bishop’s vestments, and placed him on the high altar throne. During his life St. Peter never sat on it, but sat on a footstool instead, believing whenever he approached his throne a heavenly light was shining on it, sensing the presence of divine power, he didn’t dare to sit there.
Source: OCA