Pope Heraclas of Alexandria

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Saint Heraclas of Alexandria
Patriarch of Alexandria
Died 247
Honored in Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Coptic Church
Canonized Pre-congregation
Feast 14 July

Pope Heraclas of Alexandria served as the thirteenth Pope of Alexandria (head of the church that became the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Greek Church of Alexandria) between 232 and 248. He is commemorated in the Coptic Synaxarion on the 8th day of Koiak.

He followed Origen as head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria.

He has been identified as the first Bishop of Alexandria to carry the appellation of "Pope" (in Greek, Papás, a term, originally a form of address meaning 'Father', that the church of Rome did not use until the sixth century). The first known record of this designation being assigned to Heraclas is in a letter written by the bishop of Rome, Dionysius, to Philemon:

τοῦτον ἐγὼ τὸν κανόνα καὶ τὸν τύπον παρὰ τοῦ μακαρίου πάπα ἡμῶν Ἡρακλᾶ παρέλαβον.[1] [I received this rule and ordinance from our blessed pope, Heraclas.]

[edit] References

General
Specific
  1. ^ [1], Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiastica Book VII, chapter 7.4 (trans.)

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Demetrius
Pope of Alexandria
232–248
Succeeded by
Dionysius