St. Athanasius, Doctor of the Church, was born around 296-298. The twentieth Pope and Bishop of Alexandria, he spent seventeen years of his life in exile from four Roman emperors. He was highly instrumental in vigorously combating the Arian heresy, and was ordained Archbishop at the young age of thirty. Also a great theologian, Athanasius was uncompromising in his hostility toward the heresies of his time, and was known as the Pillar of the Church to St. Gregory of Nazianzus. He found the time to compose various works of spirituality as well, including St. Antony of the Desert, Against the Heathen, The Incarnation of the Word of God, and Discourse on Virginity. St. Athanasius died on the second of May, 373, having consecrated Peter II as his successor.