Theonas
Theonas was the 16th Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, serving from 282 to 300 AD. He is remembered as a scholar who established a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and gently converted many to Christianity. He is also noted for his wise handling of theological disputes and for ordaining his successor, St. Peter.
- Century
- 4th century
- Country Or Region
- Egypt
Key Facts
- ›Theonas was the 16th Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria.
- ›He reigned from 282 to 300 AD.
- ›Theonas built a church in Alexandria dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos.
- ›He converted many to Christianity through gentle persuasion and baptized them.
- ›He ordained St. Peter, his successor, as a reader, deacon, and priest at young ages.
- ›Theonas excommunicated Sabellius, who taught that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one person.
St. Theonas, St. Theonas, Bishop of Alexandria, Confessor
About Theonas
Theonas of Alexandria
Pope Theonas of Alexandria was the 16th Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, serving a significant tenure from 282 to 300 AD. His papacy occurred during a period of both challenge and growth for the early Christian Church.
Life and Ministry
Theonas is described as a scholar who made notable contributions to the establishment of Christian infrastructure. He is credited with building a church in Alexandria dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos. Prior to his efforts, Christians often practiced their faith in private homes and caves, seeking to avoid persecution from non-believers. Theonas employed a wise and gentle approach to evangelism, successfully converting many individuals to Christianity and baptizing them.
He played a crucial role in the early life of his successor, St. Peter, the 17th Pope of Alexandria. Theonas ordained Peter as a reader at the age of five, promoted him to deacon at twelve, and then to priest at sixteen. This early spiritual formation under Theonas was pivotal for Peter's later leadership.
During Theonas's patriarchate, a figure named Sabellius emerged in Alexandria, promoting a doctrine that identified the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as a single person. Theonas firmly opposed this teaching and excommunicated Sabellius.
Hagiographical Accounts
Alban Butler, in his "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints," refers to St. Theonas as a "Confessor." Butler notes that Theonas succeeded St. Maximus in the patriarchal chair in 282 and held it for nearly nineteen years. He highlights Theonas's "shining light of his sanctity and learning" as a great ornament to the church during a flourishing period. Butler also mentions St. Pierius, a priest and catechist in Alexandria at that time, who supported the reputation of the church's school. According to Butler, Theonas wrote an instructional letter to Lucian, the first chamberlain to Emperor Dioclesian, advising Christians in imperial service on their conduct. Theonas died in 300 and was succeeded by St. Peter. The text also references a church built in Alexandria dedicated to God under the patronage of St. Theonas, attributed to St. Alexander.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Pope Theonas of Alexandria?
Pope Theonas was the 16th Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, serving from 282 to 300 AD. He was known as a scholar and a gentle leader who expanded Christian worship and practice.
What were Theonas's major accomplishments?
Theonas built a church in Alexandria dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, and converted many to Christianity through his wise and gentle approach. He also ordained his successor, St. Peter, at young ages.
What theological issue did Theonas address?
During his time, a man named Sabellius taught that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were one person. Theonas excommunicated Sabellius for this teaching.
When did Theonas reign as Pope?
Pope Theonas reigned as the 16th Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria from 282 to 300 AD.
Who succeeded Pope Theonas?
St. Peter succeeded Pope Theonas as the 17th Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria. Theonas had ordained Peter at a young age, progressing him through the roles of reader, deacon, and priest.
Related Saints
Dionysius of Alexandria
Dionysius the Great was the 14th Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, serving from 248 to 264. He is remembered as a capable administrator, particularly during times of persecution and plague, and for his extensive correspondence that provides insight into the early Church. His writings, though largely lost, influenced later theologians and are preserved in excerpts.
Avilius of Alexandria
Avilius of Alexandria, also known as Abilius, was the third Patriarch of Alexandria. He is remembered for his piety, chastity, and his role in strengthening the Christian faith in Egypt and surrounding provinces during a period of peace for the church.
Anianus of Alexandria
Anianus of Alexandria was the second Patriarch of Alexandria, ordained by Saint Mark the Evangelist. He is remembered as the first convert Mark won to Christianity in the region and for his significant role in growing the early church in Alexandria. Anianus served as patriarch for over seventeen and a half years, ordaining new clergy and overseeing the church's expansion.