**ALESSANDRO, metropolitan of Gerapoli.** — He took part in the Council of Ephesus, protesting that the so-called Orientals, namely the patriarch of Antioch, JOHN, with his suffragan bishops, who were favorable to Nestorius and therefore opposed to Cyril of Alexandria, had not been awaited. He was excommunicated with them in the fourth session of the council. Later, when the Orientals accepted the doctrine of Cyril, which had been adopted by the Council of Ephesus, he also broke with them. He was therefore exiled by the civil authority to Egypt, where he died around 434. Twenty-three of his letters survive, preserved in the *Synodicon addensus Tragoediam Irenaei* of the deacon Rusticus, from chapters 54 to 182, passim: *PG* 84, 659-798 (Mansi, V, 830-960, passim).
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**ALESSANDRO, bishop of Jerusalem, saint, martyr.** — Trained in the school of Alexandria, he was a disciple of PANTENO and CLEMENT and a faithful friend of ORIGEN. In the early years of the 3rd century, he was bishop of a city in Cappadocia, whose name is unknown; during the persecution of SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS he was imprisoned and remained there until 211. The following year, he became coadjutor and shortly afterward successor (the first such case) of the aged bishop of Jerusalem, NARCISSUS. He died in the prison of Caesarea, a victim of the persecution of DECius, in 250. A. is particularly known for founding the ecclesiastical library in Jerusalem (consulted by EUSEBIUS for his *Ecclesiastical History*); he also merits recognition for protecting the great ORIGEN after his condemnation by DEMETRIUS, bishop of Alexandria. EUSEBIUS preserved excerpts of four of his letters. The Roman Martyrology appears to commemorate him twice: on January 30 and March 18.