Saint Alexander the Charcoal Burner

Saint Alexander Saint Alexandre A philosopher who became a charcoal burner out of humility, later Bishop of Comana and martyr. was from the province of Pon province de Pont Province of origin of Saint Alexander. tus, of honorable birth, which gave him sufficient means to apply himself to study. As he had a great mind, he became an excellent philosopher, and he acquired all the fine knowledge that could make him esteemed and honored in the world. Moreover, he had unparalleled grace and beauty, which drew the eyes of all who met him. His virtue and piety surpassed even all these natural qualities, and, having been raised in the maxims of Christian morality, he feared nothing so much as offending God, and had nothing more at heart than to observe exactly all His commandments. His delicacy of conscience was so great that, fearing on one hand that his knowledge might lead him to vanity, and, on the other, that his beauty might be an occasion of scandal to someone, and might rob him of the inestimable flower of chastity, he resolved to hide both, so that they could no longer be harmful to him. With this design, he sold his goods, distributed the price to the poor, came to live in the city of Comana, and embraced the profession of charcoal burner, which consisted of carrying and selling charcoa ville de Comana City where Alexander worked as a charcoal burner and became bishop. l. He loved abjection so much that, not content with having his hands and face blackened, he was ordinarily ragged and half-naked, in order to attract the contempt of the world. He did not, however, cease to be assiduous at church, to pray with great fervor in his poor room, and to read attentively the word of God in the Old and New Testaments, which was his most delightful nourishment.

While he was living thus in obscurity, the bishop of Comana died, and the principal members of the city's clergy, unable to agree on the successor they should appoint, sent to beg Saint Gregory, bishop of Neocaesarea, to travel to them to p saint Grégoire, évêque de Néocésarée Bishop of Neocaesarea who identified and consecrated Alexander. reside over their election and to help them discern the one whom God Himself had chosen. When he arrived, he found their sentiments greatly divided, yet united on this point: they were fixated on the false glitter of the world, proposing men who were commendable either for their nobility, their great wealth, their positions, their eloquence and charm, or for some other external qualities. Saint Gregory listened peacefully to all these proposals; but he resolved to wait until God made known to him more distinctly the one he was to consecrate. In the interval, he assembled the priests and the clergy, along with the principal people, and after explaining to them the obligations of a bishop and how important it was to make a good choice in this matter, for fear of entrusting the guidance of the flock of Jesus Christ to a hireling or a wolf, he told them that they should not dwell too much on persons of consideration for their wealth, their birth, or their services, and that it would be imprudent to exclude others who were less known, because one often finds in humble conditions great souls whose virtue makes them worthy of the episcopate.

This proposal was received rather poorly by those who had the principal role in the election. One, among others, mocked it and said to the Saint in jest: "If the most honorable subjects of our city do not please you, then we must take someone from the dregs of the people to govern us, and instead of giving our votes to these men of merit, we should give them to Alexander the Charcoal-Burner, who would be very suitable, with his rags and his blackness, to sit on the throne of this church." At these words, Saint Gregory was touched by a divine movement that made him know that it was not without reason that this Charcoal-Burner had been named rather than any other. He asked who he was and if there was a way to see him. He was brought immediately, and he appeared in that fine assembly all black and dressed in rags that did not even cover his whole body. Everyone began to laugh; but Gregory perceived, beneath the blackness and the rags of this man, something extraordinary and divine. He could not admire enough his modesty, his gravity, and the signs of joy he showed in the midst of these taunts, for his profound humility made him delighted to be the object of everyone's laughter, and he was no more moved by it than a proud man would be if he had been given great praise. Thus the blessed bishop, not doubting that this was the one whom divine Providence had chosen to govern the church of Comana in the midst of the storms of persecution, took him aside and compelled him, on behalf of God, to tell him who he was and what his practices had been.

during his youth, why he had chosen such a vile employment, and, finally, what graces he had received from heaven. Alexander was compelled to tell him that it was neither the condition of his birth, nor the necessity of earning a living that had reduced him to being a charcoal burner, but solely the fear of God, and the desire to ensure his own salvation and that of others; he had studied philosophy and the Holy Scriptures, and his occupation did not prevent him from exercising his mind therein to move more perfectly toward the knowledge and love of his God. After this confession, Gregory declared to him that the divine will was that he should allow himself to be consecrated bishop, and that he should in no way resist this disposition, because humility, however profound it may be, must not refuse duties when God commands one to submit to them. Having said this, he ordered his clerics to wash this charcoal burner, to give him other clothes, and, then, to clothe him in his ecclesiastical vestments. While they were executing this command, he returned to the assembly and began to speak to those present about the supernatural qualities that should adorn the soul of a good bishop. His discourse lasted until the clerics brought in, with much reverence and solemnity, Alexander, dressed as a bishop. Those who had mocked him could not then sufficiently admire the beauty of his face, the majesty of his bearing, the honesty of his gaze, and the singular modesty that appeared in his whole person. Gregory, therefore addressing them, said to them: "This man whom I present to you is the very Charcoal Burner whom you mocked. Your senses had deceived you and had hidden from you the great gifts with which divine goodness has filled him. You judged by the exterior, and, based on this exterior, you rejected the one who was worthy of this entire city; but God, who watches over his flock, and who wishes to give it a pastor according to his heart, used your own mockery to draw him from the dust and place him on the lampstand of his Church. The demon, who foresaw that this excellent personage would destroy his empire, also did his utmost to prevent him from having authority among you; but Our Lord has destroyed all his artifices, and, despite his efforts, he wishes to give him to you today as leader, as bishop, and as father." There was no one in the entire assembly who dared to contradict these words, which the Saint spoke in the Spirit of God; thus the election was made unanimously, and he proceeded to his consecration, having previously conferred upon him all the Orders up to the priesthood, according to the custom of the Church.

As soon as the consecration was completed, the new bishop was asked to give a word of instruction to the people; he therefore mounted the pulpit, and, without any preparation, he delivered an excellent sermon, not enriched with beautiful periods and the vain flowers of worldly rhetoric, but full of the Spirit of God and supported by powerful reasons and passages of Holy Scripture applied very aptly. It was clearly seen by this that the choice of Gregory had been very judicious, and there was no longer any doubt that it had been inspired by heaven. There was only one giddy young man, who, having écoles d'Athènes Place of origin of a student who criticized the eloquence of Alexander. recently come from the schools of Athens, mocked this discourse as lacking the ornaments of Athenian eloquence; but he changed his sentiment and language quite a bit when he perceived around Alexander a multitude of young doves, an emblem of the saintly bishop's heavenly words.

This is how Saint Alexan der the Philosopher became a saint Alexandre le Philosophe A philosopher who became a charcoal burner out of humility, later Bishop of Comana and martyr. charcoal burner, and from a charcoal burner was elected and consecrated bishop. There is no doubt that he discharged this office most worthily and that he converted many infidels to the faith, according to the prophecy of Saint Gregory, that he would destroy the empire of the demon; but Ecclesiastical History has taught us nothing of him since his ordination, except that from bishop he became a most illustrious and most glorious martyr, having been seized and burned in the cruel persecution which was stirred up against the Christians, i n the year 250, l'empereur Dèce Roman emperor responsible for the persecution of Christians in 250. by the Emperor Decius.

We have drawn this life from what Saint Gregor y the Wonderworker wrote abou saint Grégoire le Thaumaturge Bishop of Neocaesarea who identified and consecrated Alexander. t him. — Cf. Till Tillemont Ecclesiastical historian cited as a source. emont; Baillet; Godesc ard; Saint Gregory of N saint Grégoire de Nysse Church Father cited as a source. yssa.