¹ To our dear and esteemed fellow ministers of the Catholic Church everywhere, Alexander extends warm greetings in the Lord:

² Since the body of the Catholic Church is one, and Holy Scripture commands us to maintain the bond of unity and peace, it follows that we should communicate and acknowledge what each of us is doing. This way, whether one member suffers or rejoices, we can all share in that suffering or joy together. Recently, in our diocese, there have emerged lawless individuals and adversaries of Christ, who are teaching apostasy. Such actions, rightly so, might be seen as a precursor to the coming of Antichrist. I had hoped to keep this matter silent, perhaps hoping that the evil would confine itself to the leaders of the heresy alone, and would not spread to other places or corrupt the ears of the more naive. However, Eusebius, the current bishop of Nicomedia, seems to believe that all ecclesiastical matters rest with him. Having left Berytus and set his sights on the church of the Nicomedians, and since no punishment has been inflicted upon him, he has aligned himself with these apostates. He has taken it upon himself to write everywhere, endorsing them, in the hope of persuading some ignorant individuals to embrace this disgraceful and anti-christian heresy. Therefore, it has become necessary for me, knowing what is written in the law, to speak up. I must inform you all so that you may be aware of those who have become apostates and of the deplorable doctrines of their heresy. If Eusebius writes, do not pay him any heed.

³ He, seeking to revive the old wickedness of his mind with their support, which he had kept silent for a time, feigns that he is writing on their behalf. However, his actions reveal that he is pursuing this for his own sake. The apostates from the Church are as follows: Arius, Achilles, Aithales, Carpones, another Arius, Sarmates, who were previously priests; Euzoius, Lucius, Julius, Menas, Helladius, and Gains, formerly deacons; and along with them, Secundus and Theonas, who were once called bishops. The words they have invented and spoken contrary to the teachings of Scripture are as follows: “God wasn’t always the Father; there was a time when God wasn’t the Father. The Word of God wasn’t eternal but was created “from things that do not exist”; for God, who is God, formed what did not exist from what did not exist. Hence, there was a time when He did not exist. For the Son is a created thing, made; He is not like the Father in substance, nor is He the true and natural Word of the Father, nor is He His true Wisdom; rather, He is one of the things crafted and created. He is termed, albeit inaccurately, the Word and Wisdom, since He Himself was fashioned by the true Word of God and by the wisdom inherent in God, through which, just as God made all other things, He also made Him. Hence, He is inherently subject to change and mutability, just like other rational beings. Moreover, the Word is distant and distinct from God’s essence. Furthermore, the Father is unknowable to the Son; indeed, the Word does not fully and precisely comprehend the Father, nor can He behold Him perfectly. Similarly, the Son does not completely understand His own essence as it truly is, as He was brought into being for our benefit, serving as the instrument through which God created us. Indeed, He would not have existed if God had not desired to create us.” When someone inquired whether the Son of God could change just as the devil did, they did not hesitate to respond affirmatively; for since He was created, He possesses a mutable nature.

⁴ So, since those aligned with Arius boldly assert these beliefs, we, along with the Bishops of Egypt and Libya, nearly a hundred in number, have excommunicated them and their followers. However, those aligned with Eusebius have embraced them, fervently attempting to blend falsehood with truth, impiety with piety. Yet, they will not succeed; for truth prevails, and there is no fellowship between light and darkness, no harmony between Christ and Belial. Who has ever heard such things before? Or who, upon hearing them now, is not astonished and does not cover his ears to prevent the contamination of these words from touching them? Who, upon hearing John proclaim, “In the beginning was the Word,” does not condemn those who claim there was a time when He did not exist? Who, upon hearing these words of the Gospel, “the only-begotten Son” and “by Him were all things made,” will not despise those who claim He is merely one of the things made? For how can He be counted among the created things if He Himself is the Creator? How can He be called the only-begotten if, as they assert, He is considered along with all other creations? Moreover, how can He be made from things that do not exist, when the Father Himself declares, “My heart belched forth a good Word,” and “From the womb, before the morning have I begotten You”? How can He be unlike the Father in substance when He is the perfect image and radiance of the Father, and declares, “He that has seen Me has seen the Father”? And how could there be a time when the Son, who is identified as the Word, Wisdom, and Reason of God, did not exist? It’s akin to suggesting there was a time when God lacked reason and wisdom. Furthermore, how can He be considered changeable and mutable when He Himself declared, “I am in the Father, and the Father in Me,” and “I and My Father are one,” and when the prophet proclaimed, “I am the Lord, I change not”? Though a saying might originally pertain to the Father, it now more fittingly applies to the Word, for when He became human, He remained unchanged. As the apostle declares, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Who has led them to claim that He was made for our sake, when Paul clearly states, “For whom are all things, and by whom are all things”?

⁵ Regarding their blasphemous claim that the Son does not fully know the Father, we shouldn’t be surprised. Once they set their minds to wage war against Christ, they attack His very words, such as “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father.” So, if the Father only partially knows the Son, it follows that the Son does not fully know the Father. But if it’s wicked to speak this way, and if the Father fully knows the Son, then it’s obvious that just as the Father knows His own Word, the Word also knows His own Father, from whom He originates.

⁶ We’ve frequently countered their arguments by unpacking the divine Scriptures. Yet, like chameleons, they alter their views, aiming to embody the adage: “When the wicked arrive, so does contempt.” Before them, many heresies trod a similar path, daring beyond measure and ultimately descending into folly. However, these individuals, through their discourse, seek to undermine the divinity of Christ, aligning themselves closer to Antichrist. Consequently, they’ve been excommunicated and anathematized by the Church. We lament the downfall of these individuals, particularly because they once embraced the teachings of the Church only to backtrack. However, such occurrences are not unexpected. Even Hymenaeus and Philetus faced similar fates, as did Judas, who, despite following the Savior, later betrayed Him and turned apostate. The warnings about such individuals are not lost on us; the Lord Himself cautioned, “Take heed that you be not deceived: for many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draws near: go not therefore after them.” Likewise, Paul, informed by the Savior, wrote of these matters, stating, “In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils which turn away from the truth.”

⁷ Therefore, as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Himself has advised us, and as His apostle has warned, we, having firsthand heard their blasphemies, have consistently anathematized such individuals, as I mentioned earlier. We have declared them estranged from the Catholic Church and the true faith. Beloved and esteemed fellow ministers, we bring this matter to your attention so that you may not entertain any of them should they audaciously approach you. Do not place your trust in Eusebius or anyone else who speaks in their favor. As Christians, it is incumbent upon us to reject anyone who speaks or thinks against Christ, as they are adversaries of God and harmful to souls. We must not even extend them good wishes, lest we become complicit in their wrongdoing, as John the Blessed instructs. Please convey my greetings to the brethren with you. Those with me also send their regards.

⁸ Presbyters of Alexandria.

⁹ I, Colluthus, a presbyter, wholeheartedly support what has been written, including the deposition of Arius and those who share in his impiety.

¹⁰ Alexander, presbyter
Arpocration, presbyter
Dioscorus, presbyter
Agathus, presbyter
Nemesius, presbyter
Dionysius, presbyter
Longus, presbyter
Silvanus, presbyter
Eusebius, presbyter
Perous, presbyter
Apis, presbyter
Alexander, presbyter
Proterius, presbyter
Paulus, presbyter
Nilaras, presbyter
Cyrus, presbyter
Ammonius, deacon
Ambytianus, deacon
Gaius, deacon
Macarius, deacon
Pistus, deacon
Alexander, deacon
Dionysius, deacon
Athanasius, deacon
Agathon, deacon
Eumenes, deacon
Polybius, deacon
Apollonius, deacon
Olympius, deacon
Theonas, deacon
Aphthonius, deacon
Marcus, deacon
Athanasius, deacon
Commodus, deacon
Macarius, deacon
Serapion, deacon
Nilus, deacon
Paulus, deacon
Romanus, deacon
Petrus, deacon

¹¹ Presbyters of Mareotis.

¹² I, Apollonius, as a presbyter, affirm my support for the written matters and also for the removal of Arius and those associated with him in impiety.

¹³ Ingenius, presbyter
Dioscorus, presbyter
Sostras, presbyter
Ammonius, presbyter
Theon, presbyter
Tyrannus, presbyter
Boccon, presbyter
Copres, presbyter
Agathus, presbyter
Ammonas, presbyter
Achilles, presbyter
Orion, presbyter
Paulus, presbyter
Serenus, presbyter
Thalelaeus, presbyter
Didymus, presbyter
Dionysius, presbyter
Heracles, presbyter
Sarapion, deacon
Didymus, deacon
Ptollarion, deacon
Justus, deacon
Seras, deacon
Gaius, deacon
Didymus, deacon
Hierax, deacon
Demetrius, deacon
Marcus, deacon
Maurus, deacon
Theonas, deacon
Alexander, deacon
Sarmaton, deacon
Marcus, deacon
Carpon, deacon
Comon, deacon
Zoilus, deacon
Tryphon, deacon
Ammonius, deacon