Pope Theonas of Alexandria

Pope Theonas of Alexandria was the 16th Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, reigning from 282 to 300.

Saint

Theonas of Alexandria
Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria
Papacy began282
Papacy ended10 January 300
PredecessorMaximus
SuccessorPeter "Seal of the Martyrs"
Personal details
BornEgypt
Died10 January 300
Egypt
BuriedChurch of the Cave, Alexandria
NationalityEgyptian
DenominationCoptic-Orthodox
(before the split between the Coptic and the Orthodox/Catholic churches)
Sainthood
Feast day10 January (2 Toba in the Coptic Calendar)

Theonas was a scholar who built a church in Alexandria, Egypt dedicated to the name of the Virgin St. Mary, the Theotokos.

Until his time, the faithful were praying and performing their services in homes and in caves for fear of the unbelievers. Pope Theonas dealt with them wisely and gently to achieve what he wanted to do. He converted many of them to believe in the Lord Christ and baptized them.

He baptized, in the first year of his papacy, St. Peter, who succeeded him on the apostolic throne of St. Mark and was the 17th Pope. It was said that he ordained Peter as a reader at the age of five, then he promoted him to be a deacon at the age of twelve, then as a priest at sixteen.

At the time of this patriarch, a man by the name of Sabellius appeared in Alexandria who was teaching that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one person. Theonas excommunicated him and he invalidated his heresy by convincing proof.

References

Titles of the Great Christian Church
Preceded by
Maximus
Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria
282—300
Succeeded by
Peter I
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