Adolescence Origen, the Alexandrian Writer

"Origen called and Adamantius remained poor at  age of seventeen years with the six brothers and his widowed mother, after his father Leonida was crowned with martyrdom for Christ during the persecution started against Christians in the tenth of Severus Petrinax ". [1]

   So begins the description of the life of Origen , in his book Blessed Jerome who passed diptychs men illustrious .

   Origen was probably born in 185/186, from an ancient family of Alexandria , who apparently was the Egyptian people [2] ; had six brothers , of which he was most of his eldest. Father was a Christian pious and offered an education high young novice who ass when he have and make the parent in need. By over   sciences profane, his father handy to widen the sciences wisdom holy, claiming them to learn every day and recite verses from the Holy Scriptures. Origen was very excited by the mysteries of the Holy Scriptures and sometimes put  questions challenging his father, and the latter enjoying -it of wisdom son is pretending that we fight, telling them that they will find answers depth at the right time.

    Sometimes at night, Leonida approached his son and his uncovered chest kissing him dearly "as and such a Holy Spirit would Salas inside him " [3] . As we have seen in the description of Jerome on the age of seventeen years Origen remains an orphan , his father died as a martyr in the persecution of Severus [4] . Although he was a young teenager, compose a letter of encouragement to his father and urge him to not give the right faith . " Be careful not to soak something else because of us " [5] . Even the very Origen had it not been stopped by his mother through an ingenious method would have suffered martyrdom. ( Eusebius of Caesarea in History Church states that his mother hid all his clothes in the house so can not go out ). Because his father confessed faith Christian , fortune family was confiscated [6] and so Origen goes through a double pain's, the orphan and poor in the same time.

   After the death of his father, Origen deepens studies and hear him on Ammoniu Sakkas , a great philosopher of that time. Porphyry says that he fired at very useful and has acquired speech ability. Then by Providence divine , very rich woman from Alexandria takes the young teenager under the protection of her. This noble wearing of care and a famous heretic , Antiochian what is called Paul, erudite man who gather very many people around him [7] because of knowledge of its profane and his talent oratory . Although Origen had to live together with this heretic , showed firmness in the right-hand faith and has not consented never to pray with him, but keep the youth with the strict rules of the Church and the teachings heretical , as stated in wrote later , he felt a real disgust .

     In Alexandria , persecutions had taken the scale so that more all Christians fled [8] in other parts of the Empire [9] or outside it . Even some of the students and catechumens from the school of Alexandria suffered martyrdom. We mention Plutarch Sarenus who was burned alive, Heraclides and Heron decapitated and the young Potamina with her ​​mother [10] . Although the situation was precarious, young Alexandrian proved to be a true apologist of Christianity and remain in Alexandria .

Only eighteen years, Origen was seated by Demetrius the head of the school in place of the priest Clement of Alexandria [11] whose disciple was and so could il and maintain the family was very poor. Eusebius us reports that the few times Origen was exposed for Christians who are in prison, helping them, encouraging them and leading them to the place of execution , putting - and thus own life in danger. No aimless was named "Man of Steel" [12] , because the youth up his Alexandrian led a life austere, crowned with asceticism, fasting and prayer. It was an example, virtuoso who does not care about the things mundane and ephemeral ( giving the glory worldly ); often deepened in prayer and study and kept a strict fast what is injurious to health. " It is said that while the many years just walked barefoot, without having taken a stand, then that very many years in a row was further use wine or food for living, that at one point reached the risk of disease, jeopardizing - and hard stomach " [13] .

 

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[1] Pr . Nicholas Chifăr , History of Christianity , vol . I, Publisher Trinitas , Ia and , 2001, p. 46

[2] Origen means "born of Horus" (Egyptian god) which certifies that his family was the Egyptian people. Cf .: Fr . Prof . John G. Coman , Patristics , St . monastery Dervent , 2000, p. 71.    

[3] Eusebius of Caesarea , History of the Church , VI et al . Fathers and Writers Church ( PSB ), vol . 13 Publishing Institute Bible and Mission of BOR 1987, p. 226.

[4] Some patristic support the age of 16 years for Origen , Cf .: trad . Cristian Bădiliţă , Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book I , Publishing Institute of European, Iaşi , 1995, p.7.

[5] Pr . Prof . John G. Coman , Eusebius of Caesarea and Jerome  about Origen , the "Theological Studies", Vol 9-10 Magazine Institutes Theological Patriarchate Romanian , Series II -a - Year XII - Nr. 9-10 November-December 1960,   p. 596.

[6] Blessed Jerome , About Men illustrious and other writings ,  Publisher PAID , 1997, p. 49

[7] Eusebius of Caesarea , op . cit . in loc. cit . p. 227

[8] Ibid, p . 228

[9] Pr. Nicholas Chifăr, on. cit. p. 47

[10] Ibid

[11]  Blessed Jerome , op . cit , p. 49

[12]   Pr. Prof. John G. Coman, op. cit. in place. cit. , p. 596.

[13]  Eusebius of Caesarea , op . cit . in loc. cit ., p. 228. ( Pr .Ioan G. Coman reminiscent of a disease of the lungs , op . cit ., p.72)