▁Qu ast en ▁says ▁that ▁Ath anas ius ▁was ▁the ▁de acon ▁and ▁secretary ▁to ▁bishop ▁Alexander ▁of ▁Alexand ria . ▁As ▁such ▁he ▁attended ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Nice a ▁in ▁ 3 2 5 ▁where ▁he ▁fought ▁for ▁the ▁defeat ▁of ▁A rian ism ▁and ▁accept ance ▁of ▁the ▁div inity ▁of ▁Jesus . ▁Again st ▁Ari us ▁who ▁said ▁that ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁was ▁not ▁et ernal ▁and ▁not ▁God ▁but ▁a ▁mere ▁creature , ▁Ath anas ius ▁form ulated ▁the ▁doctrine ▁that ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁is ▁ ▁" con subst ant ial " ▁with ▁the ▁Father , ▁a ▁doctrine ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁" hom o ous ios ." ▁ ▁Ath anas ius ▁later ▁became ▁the ▁Patri arch ▁of ▁Alexand ria , ▁Egypt ▁in ▁ 3 2 8 . ▁When ▁the ▁Ari ans ▁gained ▁political ▁power , ▁Ath anas ius ▁was ▁ex iled ▁five ▁to ▁seven ▁times , ▁but ▁was ▁restored ▁to ▁authority ▁each ▁time . ▁This ▁gave ▁rise ▁to ▁the ▁expression ▁" A th anas ius ▁contra ▁m und um " ▁or ▁" A th anas ius ▁against ▁the ▁world ." ▁ ▁While ▁Ari us , ▁his ▁oppon ent , ▁died ▁in ▁ 3 3 6 , ▁Ath anas ius ▁died ▁in ▁ 3 7 3 ▁surrounded ▁by ▁the ▁affection ▁of ▁his ▁f lock , ▁and ▁from ▁then ▁on ▁rever ed ▁as ▁a ▁great ▁saint ▁in ▁Christ end om . ▁( J . ▁Qu ast en , ▁Pat ro log y ) ▁Ath anas ius ▁has ▁been ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church