Alexander, Bishop of Jerusalem, Saint, Martyr

ALESSANDRO, bishop of GERUSALEMME, saint, martyr. — Educated at the school of Alexandria, he was a disciple of Pantaenus 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 thereafter successor (the first case of its kind) to the elderly 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 Storia ecclesiastica); and he deserves credit for having protected the great Origen after the condemnation imposed on him by Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria. Eusebius has preserved excerpts from four of his letters. The Martirologio romano seems to commemorate him twice: on 30 January and 18 March.