Hieromartyr3rd century

Hieromartyr Alexander Bishop of Comana

3rd century (died c. 250-251)

Also known as Alexander the Charcoal-burner

A learned ascetic who hid his holiness by selling charcoal, was chosen Bishop of Comana, and later suffered martyrdom.

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Commemorated as

The Holy Hieromartyr Alexander, Bishop of Comana, the Charcoal-Burner

Life

Alexander of Comana, known by the epithet "the Charcoal-Burner" (Greek: Alexandros ho Anthrakeus, Latin: Alexander Carbonarius), was a learned man of the 3rd century who concealed his education and holiness beneath the humble trade of burning and selling charcoal. According to the tradition, he had been a philosopher schooled in Holy Scripture, but took upon himself voluntary poverty, mingling with the lowliest of laborers so as to escape worldly honors. He was raised from this obscurity to become Bishop of Comana in Pontus (Asia Minor), and later suffered martyrdom by fire.

Almost everything known of Alexander survives because his election to the episcopate is described incidentally in a discourse by St. Gregory of Nyssa on the life of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (the Wonderworker). Without that account he would have remained historically obscure; his name appears in no ancient Greek or Roman civil calendars. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on August 12 (Roman Catholics keep his feast on August 11).

Troparion & Kontakion2 hymnsReadHide

TroparionTone 4

By sharing in the ways of the Apostles,
you became a successor to their throne.
Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God;
by teaching the word of truth without error, you defended the Faith,
even to the shedding of your blood.
Hieromartyr Alexander, entreat Christ God to save our souls.

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

KontakionTone 4

(Podoben: “You were lifted up...”) As one who lived piously among Hierarchs and who underwent martyrdom,
O divinely-wise one,
you abolished the sacrifices of idolatry and showed yourself as the protector of your flock.
Therefore, we cry fervently to you:
“By your intercessions, deliver us from all misfortunes, O Alexander, our Father.”

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

Timeline3 momentsReadHide

3rd centuryA philosopher turned charcoal-burnerEducated in Holy Scripture and the sciences, Alexander deliberately embraced poverty and humility, taking up the work of burning charcoal and selling it in the marketplace so as to escape worldly honors.
3rd centuryChosen bishop by St. Gregory the WonderworkerWhen the bishop of Comana died, St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, Bishop of Neocaesarea, was summoned to oversee the election. Rejecting candidates proposed for their nobility, learning, or wealth, he insisted a bishop must above all have a pure heart and holy life. When Alexander was named mockingly, Gregory took the suggestion seriously, examined him publicly on the Scriptures, found his answers those of a wise pastor, and the assembly elected him bishop.
c. 250-251Martyrdom by fireDuring a persecution of Christians, Alexander confessed Christ and refused to worship idols. After being tortured, he was cast into the fire, where he surrendered his soul to God.

Contributions & Legacy

3 contributionsReadHide

Election to the Episcopate

The account of Alexander's selection turns on the discernment of St. Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neocaesarea, who had been invited to preside over the choice of a new bishop for Comana after the previous bishop's death. When the candidates put forward were judged by nobility, learning, or wealth, Gregory objected that a bishop should have not only external merits but, first of all, a pure heart and a holy life.

When someone mockingly proposed Alexander the charcoal-burner, Gregory took the suggestion seriously. Summoning Alexander, he questioned him before the assembly about the Holy Scriptures; Alexander answered as a knowledgeable and wise pastor, and those present elected him their bishop. The tradition holds that Gregory recognized in the humble laborer a man of great capabilities and genuine sanctity.

Martyrdom

Alexander administered the see of Comana with wisdom before suffering martyrdom in a Roman persecution. He confessed Christ and refused to offer worship to idols; after enduring torture, he was burned to death, surrendering his soul to God.

The sources most commonly assign his martyrdom to the persecution under the emperor Decius (c. 250-251), consistent with his placement in the 3rd century. One retelling instead names the persecution under Diocletian, but the Decian dating is the tradition followed here and accords with the saint's pre-Nicene era.

Sources and Historical Record

The principal source for Alexander's life is a discourse pronounced by St. Gregory of Nyssa on the life of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, in which the election of Alexander is described in passing. Beyond this incidental notice, little biographical detail survives, and his name is absent from the ancient Greek and Roman calendars.

Companions1 figureShowHide

The hierarch who chose him — presiding over the election at Comana, Gregory examined the humble charcoal-burner on the Scriptures and had him made bishop.

Saint Gregorythe Wonderworker of Neocaesarea

Related Saints1 saintShowHide

Saints connected to his life, mission, and place in Orthodox tradition.

Preserved his memory — Alexander's election survives only because Gregory of Nyssa recounted it in his discourse on the life of Gregory the Wonderworker.

Gregoryof Nyssa

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Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints