Athanasius fought for the true Catholic faith at Nicaea and throughout his entire career. Arian bishops excommunicated him. Arian scholars loathed him. Emperors hated him. His enemies falsely accused him of cruelty, sorcery and even murder. He was exiled five times for a total of 17 years. And in the face of it all, he became the single most articulate voice defending the orthodox Catholic faith, which is why even today we remember him as Athanasius contra mundum: “Athanasius against the world.”
He never gave up. He never compromised on principle. He never lost his zeal for preaching the true Jesus Christ. And in the end, the truth won out. Athanasius became one of the best-loved bishops and greatest Doctors of the Church — and the faith we take for granted today, we owe largely to him.
