Christianity appears to have {81} made very
rapid progress in Africa, since, in the fifth century, the Church
numbered more than four hundred African Bishops. [Sidenote:
Patriarchate of Alexandria.] Alexandria, from its wealth and
importance, as well as from its reputation for learning, was looked up
to by the other African Churches, and its Bishops were acknowledged as
patriarchs throughout the Christianized portion of the continent.
[Sidenote: Its school.] The Alexandrian school of philosophy was very
famous, and was at one time presided over by the Christian philosopher
Clement of Alexandria, who died about A.D. 216. His pupil Origen was,
for a while, at the head of the same college, and employed his vast
learning both before and after his ordination, in comparing the extant
copies of the Old Testament Scriptures, in order to bring the text of
the original languages to a state of the greatest possible correctness.
He died A.D. 253.

[Sidenote: Heresies at Alexandria.]

The Church of Alexandria was much distracted by inward troubles. In
A.D. 306, the schism of Meletius led many astray, and amongst them the
too notorious Arius, who began to publish in Alexandria the heresy
since known by his name, about the year A.D. 320. [Sidenote: St.
Athanasius and Arius.] St. Athanasius, who became Patriarch of
Alexandria, A.D. 326, was the chief instrument raised up by God for
combating the errors of Arius, a work which he carried on unflinchingly
both before and after his elevation to the episcopal throne, though his
defence of the orthodox faith brought upon him long and severe
persecution, including an exile of twenty years from his diocese. The
Arian heresy, though checked, was however not exterminated, and long
remained a source of trouble and weakness to the whole Church.
[Sidenote: St. Cyril and Nestorius.] St. Cyril, {82} who afterwards
succeeded to the patriarchate of Alexandria, A.D. 412, was also called
upon to defend Catholic truth against the errors of Nestorius, whilst
his successor, Dioscorus, openly embraced the false teaching of
Eutyches, and denied the Manhood, as Arius and Nestorius had before
denied the Divinity, of our Blessed Lord. The evil example of the
patriarch was followed by a large proportion of African Christians, who
refused to receive the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon, A.D. 431,
or to submit to Catholic Bishops.

[Sidenote: St. Cyprian. St. Augustine.]

Two other well-known names w