Hieromartyr Alexander, Bishop of Comana (III)
The Hieromartyr Alexander, Bishop of Comana, lived in the third century in the city of Comana, near Neocaesarea. He received a thorough education: he mastered many sciences and was deeply learned in Holy Scripture. Had he displayed his merits, the blessed one would surely have won great earthly honour, but for love of the Lord he chose to live in poverty and humility: he sold charcoal in the city square and always went about blackened with soot, so that many looked on him with contempt and children mocked him. Everyone in the city called the saint “Alexander the Charcoal-burner”. When the Bishop of Comana died, some put forward for the widowed throne a cleric of noble birth, while others preferred a learned man known for his eloquence, or a rich one. Then Gregory of Neocaesarea (commemorated 17 November), who had been invited to consecrate the new bishop, reminded the assembly how the Lord had chosen David the psalmist to be king, and said, “man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart” (1 Kings 16:7); let us too not fix our attention on appearance, but seek the one prepared by God. Some did not like these words and said mockingly to one another that if appearance and noble birth counted for nothing, even Alexander the Charcoal-burner would do for bishop. The hierarch Gregory considered that this name had not been mentioned without God’s providence, and ordered the charcoal-burner to be brought. The saint’s appearance among the assembly provoked general laughter, but Alexander humbly stood before the bishop and paid no attention to the mockery. The hierarch talked with the blessed one, and he was forced to reveal that he had formerly been a philosopher, and had taken poverty and humility upon himself of his own will, for God’s sake. Then Gregory of Neocaesarea took Alexander home, had him washed and dressed him in clean clothes. Returning to the church, he tested the Lord’s chosen one publicly: he put questions to him from Holy Scripture, which the blessed one answered like a learned and wise teacher. Amazed at Alexander’s grace and his poverty of spirit, the assembly unanimously chose him bishop. Bishop Gregory first ordained the saint presbyter, and then consecrated him hierarch as well. Alexander of Comana governed his flock wisely. His sermons were simple and full of divine wisdom. The blessed one did not care for the beauty of phrases, but tried to explain Christ’s commandments to the people in language they could understand.
In the reign of the Emperor Diocletian (284–305) the holy hierarch was cruelly tortured and thrown into the fire. The hieromartyr commended his soul to the Lord in prayer. According to some accounts, Bishop Alexander died in the time of the Emperor Decius (249–251).
