The Ante-Nicene Church · AD 180–313
Peter of Alexandria
d. 25 November 311 · Bishop of Alexandria · Martyr · Alexandria
The Ante-Nicene Church
Who Peter of Alexandria was
Bishop of Alexandria through the worst of the Great Persecution, a pastor who fled to keep his flock together and issued the Canonical Letter — the church’s most careful ruling on how to receive back the many who had lapsed under torture, graded by degree of failure. He deposed Meletius of Lycopolis for irregular ordinations, opening the Meletian schism, and excommunicated the deacon Arius. Beheaded by Maximinus Daza in 311, the last of the Alexandrian martyr-bishops, he was remembered as “the seal and complement of the martyrs.” His pastoral canons shaped the whole Eastern discipline of penance.
Also listed in the bishops of Alexandria, martyrs and the great persecution.
Common questions
When did Peter die?
Peter of Alexandria is dated d. 25 November 311 in the archive, which places Peter in the Ante-Nicene Church (AD 180–313).
What did Peter write?
Peter of Alexandria has 1 catalogued writing in the archive: The Canonical Letter (On Penance).
Which early sources mention Peter?
Peter of Alexandria is named in 4 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Eusebius of Caesarea, Athanasius of Alexandria, Epiphanius of Salamis and Jerome of Stridon. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Peter from?
The archive associates Peter of Alexandria with Alexandria.
Writings (1)
The Canonical Letter (On Penance)
c. 306For those who fell and were dragged forward, yet endured torments before yielding — for these a shorter penance may suffice, for they suffered much for the Name.Read the interlinear source text →
Primary-source mentions (4)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Ecclesiastical History VII.32; IX.6
c. AD 325Peter, a divine example of a bishop, both for the excellence of his life and his study of the sacred Scriptures… was beheaded, and thus adorned the episcopate of Alexandria.Eusebius of Caesarea · IX.6 · source text
Apology against the Arians 59 (Meletius deposed 'by Peter the bishop and martyr')
c. AD 350Meletius, who had been convicted of many crimes, was deposed by Peter, the bishop and martyr.Athanasius of Alexandria · Apology against the Arians 59 · source text
Panarion 68 (the Meletian schism told around him)
c. AD 375Chronicle of Jerome (the Alexandrian succession)
c. AD 380Connected in the archive
People
- Theonas of Alexandria
- Arius
- Emperor Maximinus Daza
- Alexander of Alexandria
- Phileas of Thmuis
- Pamphilus of Caesarea
- Emperor Diocletian
- Meletius of Lycopolis
- Timothy of Alexandria
Events in this lifetime
- AD 250 · The Decian persecution, AD 250
- AD 251 · The Novatianist schism, AD 251
- AD 257 · The Valerian persecution, AD 257
- AD 260 · Gallienus’ edict of toleration, AD 260
- AD 268 · Antioch deposes Paul of Samosata, AD 268
- AD 272 · Aurelian awards the Antioch church, AD 272
- AD 301 · Hripsime and her company, AD 301
- AD 303 · The Great Persecution begins, AD 303
- AD 303 · The search of the church at Cirta, AD 303
- AD 306 · The Council of Elvira, AD 306
- AD 311 · Galerius’ edict of Serdica, AD 311
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Peter.