He was born in 297 A.D. from pagan parents. It happened that when he was young that some Christian children were playing the act of baptism, and he wanted to join them, but they would not allow him because he was pagan. So he said to them, "From now on I am a Christian." They happily let him join in and taking the role of Patriarch. Pope Alexandros was watching from the window of the Patriarchate and admired the boy and predicted a great future for him, within the church.

When the father of Athanasius passed away, his mother took him to Pope Alexandros, who taught him the Christian Doctrine of the Coptic Church and ordained him a deacon and made him his personal secretary.

Athanasius was very keen and delegant to learn the Church's traditions. He became a disciple of St. Anthony the Great and learnt from him asceticism, devotion and the worshipping life. Pope Alexandros before his departure to heaven, had recommended Athanasius to be his successor. Athanasius tried to escape and live in seclusion, feeling not worthy of this position, but the people brought him back before the Bishops, who ordained him Patriarch of Alexandria in the year 328 A.D at the age of 30.

St. Athanasius attended the Ecumenical council at Nicea before this as a deacon in the year 325 A.D accompanying Pope Alexandros. It has been said that Pope Alexandros ordained him as a priest during this council, to give him authority to speak on his behalf. He was the bright star of the council and he refuted the Arian heresy. (Arius of Alexandria, who denied Christ's Divinity). The most prevailing saying for him was when he was told, "The world is against you, Athanasius." He answered saying, "If the world is against me... then I am against the world." Again he fought the Arians for 45 years during his Papal life. The saint suffered much to keep the faith and he was exiled five times during his struggle.

In the year 369 A.D he held a meeting at Alexandria with 90 Bishops to keep steadfast in the Orthodox belief. He was the first Pope to wear the monastical garments which was given to him by St. Anthony the Great himself and it was St. Athanasius who ordained St. Anthony as a priest.

St. Athanasius departed in peace when he was 75 yeard old. He wrote many books for the church, but none more famous than the Nicean Creed.

Truly we believe in One God, the Almighty God, the Father, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. We believe in One Lord Jesus Christ the Only begotten Son of the Father before all ages; light out of light, true God out of true God, begotten not made; co-essential with the Father, through whom all things came into being. He desended from heaven for us and for our salvation, and was incarnated of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary and became man.

He was crucified for us at the time of Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried arose from the dead on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. He ascended to the heavens and sat at the right hand of His Father, He shall also come back in His glory to judge the living and the dead, of whose kingdom there will be no end.

Truly we believe in the Holy Spirit, the life giving Lord, who proceeds from the father, we worship and glorify Him, together with the Father and the Son, who spoke in the prophets. And in one, holy universal and Apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.