Athanasius, Byzantine fresco

Athanasius was the principal opponent of Arianism before and after the Council of Nicea I (325). Powerful Arians were able to have Athanasius banished from Alexandria several times, but he was able to return repeatedly and helped prepare the way for the victory of Nicene orthodoxy at the Council of Constantinople I (381). In his theological writing Athanasius emphasized both the humanity and divinity of Christ. On the Incarnation was his most important work on this theme. He was a champion of the monastic movement and made the life of the hermit Anthony widely known through his biography, the Life of Anthony.