Peter of Alexandria
died 311 feast – November 26
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Peter headed its catechetical school before being named bishop-patriarch in 300. In his early church history, Eusebius called Peter an excellent teacher. Peter fought two heresies, Arianism and Origenism, and for much of his episcopate encouraged his people to remain Christian in the face of Emperor Diocletian’s persecutions. When he eventually went into hiding, Alexandria experienced a schism, and when a new emperor renewed Christian persecutions, Peter was seized and summarily executed. He was the last Christian martyred in Alexandria by civil authorities. His instructions on how to receive Christians who had denied their faith back into the church were adopted by the entire Eastern Church.
