St. Eulogius of Alexandria
Name: St. Eulogius of Alexandria
Date: 13 September
Saint Eulogius was born in the sixth century in Syria, and embraced the monastic state in that country. The Eutychian heresy had thrown the Churches of both Syria and Egypt into much confusion, and many of the monks of Syria had fallen at that time into loose morals and serious error. Eulogius learned by observing the decline of others to stand more watchfully and firmly upon guard over himself. He was not less distinguished by the innocence and sanctity of his habits than by the purity of his doctrine. While young he had attained to a great variety of useful knowledge in the various humanistic studies; he undertook as a monk to study the sources of sacred science, which are the Holy Scriptures, the Church’s Tradition as exposed in its councils, and the approved writings of its Saints and eminent shepherds. Amid the great dangers and necessities of the Church he was drawn out of his solitude and ordained a priest in Antioch by its patriarch Saint Anastasius. When the Patriarch of Alexandria died, Saint Eulogius was raised to that patriarchal dignity toward the close of the year 583. About two years later he was obliged to make a journey to Constantinople, in order to consult concerning certain affairs of his Church. At the court he met Saint Gregory the Great and contracted with him a holy friendship, so that from that time they seemed to have but one heart and one soul. It was said by the scholarly Cardinal Baronius, that Saint Gregory hoped he might succeed him in Rome. Among the letters of Saint Gregory still exist several which he wrote to the Egyptian Patriarch. Saint Eulogius composed many excellent works against the heresies, which have unfortunately been lost, but which Saint Gregory praised in his writings. Among them was a defense of Pope Leo the Great and the Council of Chalcedon. Of his works only one sermon and a few fragments of the other documents remain. He died in the year 606, after renewing the church of Alexandria, it has been said, in the life and youthful vigor characteristic only of churches which remain closely united to their visible Head on earth, the Vicar of Christ. |
