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A. D. 371.]

PERSECUTION AT ANTIOCH.

269

see for there was then neither bishop nor church in Constantinople, and the doctrines of the council of Nicea were almost extinct.

CHAP. XVIII. PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS AT ANTIOCH, ON THE ORONTES. THE PEOPLE ASSEMBLE NEAR THE CHURCH OF THE APOSTLE THOMAS AT EDESSA.

THE emperor went to Antioch, and ejected from the churches of that city and of the neighbouring towns all those who adhered to the Nicene doctrines: moreover, he persecuted them with extreme cruelty, putting many of them to death in various ways, and causing others to be drowned in the river Orontes. Having heard that there was a magnificent church at Edessa, named after the apostle Thomas, he went to see it. On approaching the edifice, he saw the members of the Catholic church assembled for worship without the walls of the city; for they had been deprived of their churches. It is said that the emperor was so indignant with the prefect for permitting these assemblies, that he struck him. Modestus, (for this was the name of the prefect,) although he was himself a heretic, secretly warned the people of Edessa not to meet for prayer on the same spot the next day; for he had received orders from the emperor to punish all who resorted thither: but the people, totally disregarding the threat, assembled, with more than their customary zeal, at the usual place of meeting. Modestus, on being apprized of their proceedings, was undecided as to what measures ought to be adopted, and repaired to the place where they had assembled. A woman, leading a child by the hand, forced her way through the ranks of the army, as if bent upon some affair of importance. Modestus remarked her conduct, ordered her to be stopped, and summoned her into his presence, to inquire the cause of her anxiety. She replied, that she was hastening to the spot where the members of the Catholic church were assembled. "Know you not," replied Modestus, "that the prefect is on his way thither, for the purpose of condemning to death all who are found on the spot?" "I have heard so," replied she," and this is the very reason of my haste; for I am fearful of arriving too late, and thus losing the honour of 1 Compare Socrates, Eccl. Hist. iv. 18.

martyrdom." The governor having asked her why she took her child with her, she replied, "In order that he may share in the sufferings of the others, and participate in the same reward." Modestus, struck with astonishment at the courage of this woman, went to the emperor, and, acquainting him with what had occurred, persuaded him to renounce a design which was neither beneficial nor creditable. Thus was the Christian faith confessed by the whole city of Edessa.

CHAP. XIX.-DEATH OF THE GREAT ATHANASIUS; HIS BISHOPRIC TRANSFERRED TO LUCIUS THE ARIAN. PETER, THE SUCCESSOR OF ATHANASIUS, SEEKS REFUGE IN ROME.

ATHANASIUS, bishop of Alexandria, died about this period, after having governed the church during the space of forty-six years. The Arians having received early intelligence of his death, Euzoius, bishop of the Arians at Antioch, and Magnus, the chief treasurer, lost no time in seizing and imprisoning Peter, whom Athanasius had appointed to succeed him in the bishopric; and they forthwith transferred the government of the church to Lucius. Thence resulted a cruel persecution in Egypt: for as soon as Lucius presented himself in Alexandria, and attempted to take possession of the churches, he met with opposition from the people; and the clergy and holy virgins were accused as the originators of the sedition. Some made their escape, as if the city had fallen into the hands of an enemy; others were seized and imprisoned. Some of the prisoners were afterwards dragged from the dungeons to be torn with iron nails, while others were burnt by means of flaming torches. It seemed wonderful how they could possibly survive the tortures to which they were subjected. Banishment, or even death itself, would have been preferable to such sufferings. Peter, the bishop, made his escape from prison; and, embarking on board a ship, proceeded to Rome, the bishop of which church held the same sentiments as himself. Thus the Arians, although not many in number, remained in possession of the churches. At the same time, an edict was issued by the emperor, enacting that as many of the followers of the Nicene

With this chapter compare the parallel accounts of Socrates, book iv. ch. 20, and Theodoret, book iv. ch. 20.

A. D. 373.]PERSECUTION OF THE EGYPTIAN MONKS.

271

doctrines should be ejected from Alexandria and the rest of Egypt, as might be directed by Lucius. Euzoius, having thus accomplished all his designs, returned to Antioch.

CHAP. XX. PERSECUTION OF THE EGYPTIAN MONKS, AND OF THE DISCIPLES OF ST. ANTONY. MIRACLES WROUGHT BY THEM.

LUCIUS went with the governor of Egypt and a band of soldiers against the monks in the desert; for he imagined that, if he could overcome their opposition by interrupting the tranquillity which they loved, he would meet with fewer obstacles in drawing over to his party the Christians who inhabited the cities. The monasteries of this country were governed by several individuals of eminent sanctity, who were strenuously opposed to the heresy of Arius. The people, who were neither able nor willing to enter upon the investigation of doctrinal questions, received their opinions from them, and thought with them; for they were persuaded that men whose virtue was manifested by their deeds were in possession of truth. We have heard that the leaders of these Egyptian ascetics were two men of the name of Macarius, of whom mention has been already made,2 Pambonius and Heraclides, and other disciples of Antony. On reflecting that the Arians could never succeed in establishing an ascendency over the Catholic church, unless the monks could be drawn over to their party, Lucius determined to have recourse to force to compel the monks to side with him, all gentler measures having been attended with signal failure; but here again his schemes were frustrated; for the monks were prepared to fall by the sword rather than to swerve from the Nicene doctrines. It is related that, at the very time that the soldiers were about to attack them, a man whose limbs were withered, and who was unable to stand, was carried to them; and that, when they had annointed him with oil, and commanded him (in the name of Christ whom Lucius persecuted) to arise and go to his house, he was immediately restored to health and strength. This miraculous cure manifested the necessity of adopting the 1 Compare Socrates, Eccl. Hist. iv. 24.

2 See above, iii. 14.

sentiments of those whose prayers were heard and answered by God, in opposition to the dogmas of Lucius: but the persecutors of the monks were not led to repentance by this miracle; on the contrary, they arrested these holy men, and conveyed them by night to an island of Egypt, lying in the midst of swamps and marshes. The inhabitants of this island had never heard of the Christian faith, and were devoted to the service of demons: the island contained many temples of great antiquity used for idolatrous purposes. It is said that, when the monks landed on the island, the daughter of the priest, who was possessed of a devil, went to meet them. The girl ran screaming towards them; and the people of the island, astonished at her strange conduct, followed in crowds. When she drew near the ship in which were the holy priests, she flung herself upon the ground, and exclaimed in a loud voice, "Wherefore are you come to us, O servants of the great God? for we have long dwelt in this island without giving trouble to any one. Unknown to men, we have concealed ourselves here, and shut up ourselves within these marshes. If, however, it please you, accept our possessions, and fix your abode here; we will quit the island." Macarius and his companions exorcised the demon, and the girl was restored. Her father and all her house, with the inhabitants of the island, immediately embraced Christianity, and demolished their temple for the purpose of erecting a church. On these occurrences being reported at Alexandria, Lucius was overcome by immoderate grief; and fearing lest he should incur the hatred of his own partisans, and be accused of warring against God, and not against man, he sent secret orders for Macarius and his companions to be re-conveyed to their own dwellings in the wilderness. Thus did Lucius occasion troubles and commotions in Egypt. About the same period, Didymus the philosopher and several other illustrious men acquired great renown. Struck by their virtue, and by that of the monks, the people followed their doctrines, and opposed those of the partisans of Lucius. The Arians, though not so

strong in point of numbers as the other party, grievously persecuted the church of Egypt.

A. D. 375.] FAITH MANIFESTED BY THE SCYTHIANS. 273

CHAP. XXI.-LIST OF THE PLACES IN WHICH THE

NICENE

DOCTRINES WERE PREACHED. FAITH MANIFESTED BY THE SCYTHIANS.

ARIANISM met with similar opposition at the same period in Osröene and Cappadocia. Basil, bishop of Cæsarea, and Gregory, bishop of Nazianzen, were held in high admiration and esteem throughout these regions. Syria and the neighbouring provinces, and more especially the city of Antioch, were plunged in confusion and disorder; for the Arians were very numerous in these parts, and had possession of the churches. The members of the Catholic church were not, however, few in number. They were called Eustathians and Paulinists, and were under the guidance of Paulinus and Meletius, as has been before stated. It was through their instrumentality that the church of Antioch was preserved from the encroachments of the Arians, and enabled to resist the power of Valens, and of those who acted under his directions. Indeed, it appears that all the churches which were governed by men who were firmly attached to the faith did not deviate from the form of doctrine they had originally embraced. It is said that this was the cause of the firmness with which the Scythians adhered to their religion. There are in this country a great number of cities, of towns, and of fortresses. The metropolis is called Tomis; it is a large and opulent city, and lies to the left of the Euxine. According to an ancient custom which still prevails, all the churches of the whole country are under the sway of one bishop. Vetranio ruled over these churches at the period that the emperor visited Tomis. Valens repaired to the church, and strove, according to his usual custom, to gain over the bishop to the heresy of Arius; but this latter manfully opposed his arguments; and, after a courageous defence of the Nicene doctrines, quitted the emperor, and proceeded to another church, whither he was followed by the people. All the citizens had crowded to see the emperor; for they expected that something extraordinary would result from this interview with the bishop. Valens was extremely offended at being left alone in the church with his attendants; and, in resentment, condemned Vetranio to banishment.

Not long after, however, he recalled him, because, I

1 Sozomen repeats this below, b. vii. 19, where he recounts the various local customs prevailing in the ecclesiastical system.

[SOZOMEN.]

T

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