Bishop of Alexandria and a great defender of the orthodox faith, throughout his life St. Athanasius opposed the Arian heresy. By denying the Godhead of the Word the Arians turned Christ into a mere man, only higher in grace than others in the eyes of God. St. Athanasius took part in the Council of Nicea in 325 and until the end remained a champion of the faith as it was defined by the Council. In him the Church venerates one of her great Doctors. The Epistle and Gospel of the Mass allude to the persecutions that he underwent to uphold the true teaching concerning the person of Christ; he was sent into exile no less than five times. He died at Alexandria in 373 after a long episcopate of forty-six years.