CHAP. XXII.-EPISTLE WRITTEN BY THE SYNOD OF JERUSALEM

IN FAVOUR OF ATHANASIUS.

"The holy synod assembled at Jerusalem, to the priests, deacons, and people of Egypt, Libya, and Alexandria, our most beloved and cherished brethren; greeting in the Lord.1

"WE can never, O beloved, return adequate thanks to God, the Creator of all things, for the wonderful works he has now accomplished, particularly for the blessings he has conferred on your churches by the restoration of Athanasius, your lord and pastor, and our fellow minister. Who could have hoped to have seen this effected? God heard your prayers; He had compassion on His church; He hearkened to your groans and tears, and granted your supplications. You were scattered abroad like sheep without a pastor. The true Shepherd, who from heaven watches over his own flock, restored to you him whom you desired. Behold, we do all things for the peace of the church, and are influenced by love like yours; therefore we received and embraced your pastor, and despatch by him this letter of congratulation2 to you on his return, whereby you may know that we are knit together with you in love for him. It is right that you should pray for the pious emperors, who, having perceived your anxiety for his return, and recognised his innocence, restored him to you with great honour. Receive him then joyfully, and offer on his behalf due praises to God; and let us ever rejoice in Him, and glorify Him in Christ Jesus our Lord, by whom be glory to the Father throughout all ages, Amen."

CHAP. XXIII.-VALENS AND URSACIUS, WHO BELONGED TO THE ARIAN FACTION, CONFESS TO THE BISHOP OF ROME THAT ATHANASIUS HAD BEEN UNJUSTLY DEposed.

SUCH was the letter written by the synod convened in Palestine. Some time after Athanasius had the satisfaction

This Epistle is extant in the second Apology of Athanasius against the Arians, p. 175.

2 εὐχαρίστιοι εὐχαί.

3 Compare Socrates, Eccl. Hist. ii. 24.

A. D. 347.]

RETURN OF ATHANASIUS.

145

of seeing the injustice of the sentence enacted against him by the council of Tyre publicly recognised. Valens and Ursacius, who had been sent with Theognis and his followers to obtain information in Mareota, as we before mentioned, concerning the chalice which Ischyrion had accused Athanasius of having broken, wrote the following retractation to Julius, bishop of Rome.

"Ursacius and Valens, to Julius the most blessed Lord and Pope.

"As, in our former letters to you, we lodged divers insinuations against Athanasius, the bishop, and omitted to comply with the injunctions contained in yours, we now confess to your Reverence, in the presence of all the presbyters, our brethren, that all that you have heard concerning the aforesaid Athanasius is utterly false. For this reason, we joyfully enter into communion with him, particularly as you, with your natural benevolence, have granted forgiveness to us for our past error. Moreover, we declare unto you that if the bishops of the East, or even Athanasius himself, should at any time summon us to judgment, we will in no wise appear before them without your consent and sanction. We now and ever shall anathematize, as we formerly did in the memorial which we presented at Milan,2 the heretic Arius and his followers, who say that there was a time in which the Son existed not, and that Christ is from that which had no existence, and who deny that Christ was God3 and the Son of God before all ages. We again protest, in our own handwriting, that we shall ever condemn the aforesaid Arian heresy, and its originators. I, Ursacius, sign this confession with my own signature, as does likewise Valens." 4

This was the confession which they sent to Julius. It is

1 τῆς σῆς χρηστότητος. Valesius understands them to refer to the letters of Julius to Eusebius and the other adversaries of Athanasius, in which he summoned them to answer for their conduct towards him.

2 There is some doubt among authorities, as to whether the synod of Milan was held in A. D. 347. The present letter Valesius assigns to the year A. D. 356.

The allusion is here to the heresy of Photinus.

These events are referred to the year A. D. 349, by the authors of the Benedictine Life of Athanasius.

also necessary to append to it their letter to Athanasius: it is as follows.

CHAP. XXIV.- LETTER OF CONCILIATION FROM VALENS AND URSACIUS TO THE GREAT ATHANASIUS. RESTORATION OF THE OTHER EASTERN BISHOPS. EJECTION OF MACEDONIUS ACCESSION OF PAUL.

AND

"The bishops Ursacius and Valens, to Athanasius our beloved brother in the Lord.

"WE take the opportunity of the departure of Museus, our brother and fellow presbyter, to write by him to you, O beloved brother, and hope that our letter will find you in good health. You will afford us great encouragement if you will write us a reply to this letter. Know that we are at peace, and in ecclesiastical communion with you."

When Athanasius had returned from the West to Egypt, Paul,1 Marcellus, Asclepas, and Lucius, who had been recalled by the emperor from exile, were reinstated in their churches. Immediately on the return of Paul to Constantinople, Macedonius retired from public life, and held private assemblies. There was a great tumult at Ancyra on the deposition of Basil and the reinstallation of Marcellus. The other bishops were reinstated in their churches without difficulty.

BOOK IV.

CHAP. I.-DEATH OF CONSTANS CESAR.

TOOK PLACE IN ROME.

OCCURRENCES WHICH

FOUR years after the council of Sardica, Constans was killed in Gaul. Magnentius, who had plotted his death, took possession of his dominions. In the mean time, Vetranio was

1 Valesius observes that this cannot be true of Paul, as no mention is made of his name in the decrees of the council of Sardica, and Theodoret (Eccl. Hist. b. ii.) expressly states that he was in quiet possession of his see at the time when that council was held.

2 Comp. Socrates, Eccl. Hist. ii. 25.

A. D. 350.]

PERSECUTION BY MACEDONIUS.

147

proclaimed emperor at Sirmio, by the Illyrian troops. Nepotian, the son of the late emperor's sister, aided by a body of gladiators, likewise claimed the imperial power, and ancient Rome suffered severely from these usurpations. Nepotian, however, was put to death by the soldiers of Magnentius. Constantius, finding himself the sole master of the empire, and invested with the title of emperor, prepared to depose the tyrants. In the mean time, Athanasius, having arrived in Alexandria, called together the Egyptian bishops, and had the enactments confirmed which had been passed at Sardica, and in Palestine, in his favour.

CHAP. II.-CONSTANTIUS AGAIN EJECTS ATHANASIUS, AND BANISHES THE HOMOUSIANS. DEATH OF PAUL, BISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE. MACEDONIUS, HIS USURPATION AND EVIL DEEDS.

1

THE emperor, deceived by the calumnies of the heterodox, changed his mind, and, in opposition to the decrees of the council of Sardica, exiled the bishops whom he had previously restored. Marcellus was again deposed, and Basil re-acquired possession of the bishopric of Ancyra. Lucius was thrown into prison, and died there. Paul was condemned to perpetual banishment, and was conveyed to Cucusum, in Armenia, where he died. I have never, however, been able to ascertain whether or not he died a natural death. It is still reported, that he was strangled by the adherents of Macedonius. As soon as he was sent into exile, Macedonius seized the government of his church; and, being aided by several orders of monks whom he had incorporated at Constantinople, and by many of the neighbouring bishops, he commenced, it is said, a persecution against those who held the sentiments of Paul. He ejected them in the first place from the church, and then compelled them to enter into communion with himself. Many perished from wounds received in the struggle; some were deprived of their possessions, some of the rights of citizenship, and others were branded on the forehead with an iron instrument. The emperor was displeased when he heard of these transactions, and imputed the blame of them to Macedonius and his adherents.2

1 Namely, Constantius. Compare Socrates, Eccl. Hist. ii. 26, 27. 2 The last clause of the chapter, as it stands in the majority of editions, is rejected by Valesius as spurious and interpolated.

CHAP. III.-MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY MARTYRIUS AND

MARCIAN.

THE persecution increased in violence, and led to deeds of blood. Martyrius and Marcian were among those who were slain. They had been the servants of Paul, and were delivered up by Macedonius to the governor, as having been guilty of the murder of Hermogenes, and of exciting the former sedition against him.2 Martyrius was a sub-deacon, and Marcian a singer, and a reader of Holy Scripture. Their tomb is situated opposite to the walls of Constantinople, and within the precincts of a house of prayer, which was commenced by John and completed by Sisinius, two bishops of the church of Constantinople. These men, who were so highly honoured of God, judged rightly that they would not be deprived of the honours attending martyrdom; for the place where their tomb was erected had been anciently used as a receptacle for the heads of criminals who had been executed, and had been in consequence deserted, on account of the spectral apparitions which were said to be frequent on the spot; but the spectres were dispersed at their tomb, and many other notable miracles were wrought there. These are the particulars which I have heard concerning Martyrius and Marcian. If what I have related appears to be scarcely credible, it is easy to apply for further information to those who are more accurately acquainted with the circumstances; and, indeed, far more wonderful things are recorded concerning them than those which I have detailed.

CHAP. IV.-MILITARY ENTERPRISES OF CONSTANTIUS IN ILLYRIA, AND DETAILS CONCERNING VETRANIO AND MAGNENTIUS. GALLUS RECEIVES THE TITLE OF CÆSAR, AND IS SENT TO THE EAST.

ON the expulsion of Athanasius, which took place about this period, George persecuted all those throughout Egypt 1 Nicephorus (b. ix. ch. 20) adds that they were his notaries. The memory of these martyrs is celebrated in the Greek church under the name of the Notaries, on the 25th of October.

2 Valesius is of opinion, that the clause expunged by him from the end of the preceding chapter, ought to be inserted here. The terms of it are as follows, "and after this of the deposition of Macedonius himself, when they deprived him of the see of Constantinople.

3 KaKwÇ ETOίEL. Sozomen is, however, mistaken as to George, for George had not yet been intruded into the see of Athanasius.