Книга 4

About the reign and piety of Jovian. When Julian was killed, the military leaders met with the prefects and began to discuss who should assume royal power in order to save the army in wartime and together improve the affairs of the Romans, brought to extreme disorder by the insolence of the deceased. While they were discussing this, the army, having gathered in one place, demanded Jovian 119 as king, who was neither a military leader nor a tribune. However, he was known as an excellent and famous husband and gained fame for many reasons. He was very tall and had a great soul, usually distinguished himself in wars and in even more important exploits, for he boldly spoke against wickedness, was not afraid of the power of the tyrant, and for his zeal he was considered one of the martyrs of our Savior. Then the military leaders, considering the unanimity of the army as a sign of the Divine verdict, brought that excellent man to the middle and, when everyone brought him royal congratulations and proclaimed him Augustus and Caesar, this amazing man, in his characteristic courage, not fearing either the commanders or an unfavorable change in the disposition of the army, said: “I am a Christian, and therefore I cannot rule over such people, reign over the army of Julian, who brought up in wicked teaching, for these people, deprived of Divine help, will easily become the prey of their enemies and the subject of their ridicule.” After listening to his words, the soldiers cried out in one voice: “Do not doubt, king, and do not reject dominion over us, as if over the wicked. You will reign over Christians and people brought up in piety, because the elders among us benefited from the instructions of Constantine himself, and those who were younger than them received lessons from Constantius. The deceased, due to the short duration of his reign, had not yet had time to root corruption even in those who were subjected to his seduction.” About the return of Saint Athanasius. Delighted by these words, the king now began to think about common salvation and about how to withdraw the army unharmed from the enemy’s country. However, he did not need prolonged reflection: the seeds of piety also brought him fruit; because the God of all immediately showed His care for him and resolved the bewilderment that had arisen. The Persian king, having learned about Jovian's accession, sent envoys to him to conclude peace. Then he sent food supplies to the soldiers and ordered a market to be set up for them in the desert. Thus, having concluded peace terms for thirty years, Jovian led the army out of the enemy's land revived and, as soon as he entered the kingdom under his control, first of all issued a law, which announced the return of bishops from exile and at the same time commanded that the churches should be given to those who preserved the Nicene faith intact. He also wrote to that champion of Nicene dogmas, Athanasius, asking him to expound to him the exact teaching of the faith. But Athanasius, having gathered the most learned bishops, in his answer convinced the king to keep the faith according to the Nicene exposition, as being consistent with the teachings of the apostles. For the benefit of the readers, I will give the message itself. A conciliar letter on faith, written by Saint Athanasius to King Jovian. “To the most pious and most philanthropic conqueror, Augustus Jovian, Athanasius and other bishops, who came on behalf of all the bishops of Egypt, Thebaid and Libya. Your thirst for knowledge and desire for heavenly things are befitting of a God-loving king; So your heart is truly in the hand of God, and you will reign peacefully for many years 120. Satisfying the desire of your piety to learn from us the faith of the Catholic Church, we, after giving thanks to the Lord for this, decided to remind your piety most of all of the faith that the Fathers confessed in Nicaea. Some, having rejected it, brought various slander against us because we did not accept Arianism, and they themselves became the perpetrators of heresy and schisms in the Catholic Church, while the true and pious faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is obvious to everyone, since it is recognized and gleaned from the Divine Scriptures. The saints sealed by it accepted martyrdom and now rest in the Lord. This faith would always remain intact if the malice of some heretics had not dared to change it. And a certain Arius and his like-minded people decided to introduce corruption and wickedness into it, saying that the Son of God is one of those who do not exist, that He is a creature and a creature subject to change. With this teaching they deceived many, so that even important people were carried away by their blasphemy. After this, our holy fathers hastened, as stated above, having gathered in Nicaea at a council, to anathematize the Arian heresy, and to confess the faith of the Catholic Church in writing, so that when it was declared everywhere, the teaching aroused by the heretics fell silent, and that faith was recognized and preached everywhere throughout the church. But since some, with the intention of renewing Arianism, decided to confess the fathers in To reject the faith of Nicea again, while others only feignedly confess it, but in reality shun it, reinterpreting the word consubstantial, and at the same time, blaspheming the Holy Spirit, as if He is a creation made through the Son, then we, seeing that such blasphemy must necessarily cause harm to the people, tried to present to your piety the faith confessed in Nicaea, so that your feeling devoted to God would understand with what It is written with precision, and how mistaken are those who teach contrary to it. Know, most God-loving Augustus, that this faith has been preached from time immemorial. It was confessed by the fathers who met at Nicaea, and all the local churches in Spain, Britain, Gaul, throughout Italy and Campania, in Dalmatia, Dacia, Moisia, Macedonia and throughout Hellas, all the churches of Africa, Sardinia, Cyprus, Crete, Pamphylia, Lycia, Isauria, in all Egypt and Libya, Pontus, Cappadocia and the surrounding countries, all the Churches agree with it Eastern, with the exception of a few who are of the same mind as Arius. We have learned from our own experience the opinion of all the mentioned Churches and have letters from them. And although some contradict this faith, we know, most God-loving Augustus, that they cannot judge the entire universe, because having been infected for a long time with the Arian heresy, the more stubbornly they now resist piety! So that your piety may know (although it does know) the faith confessed at Nicaea by the 318 bishops, we have set out to expound it. It is as follows: We believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible; and into one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, begotten of the Father, that is, from the essence of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, through whom all things came into being, both in heaven and on earth, who for us men and for our salvation came down, became incarnate, became man, suffered and rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven, and will come to judge the living and the dead; and in the Holy Spirit. But those who say that there was a time when (the Son) did not exist, that He did not exist before His birth, and that He was born from something that did not exist, or who assert that the Son of God exists from another hypostasis or essence, that He either creates, or transforms, or is changed, is anathematized by the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. In this faith, most God-loving Augustus, it is necessary to abide in both Divine and Apostolic faith. And no one should change it with plausible explanations or verbal disputes, as the followers of Arius initially did, saying that the Son of God is from non-existence and that there was a time when He did not exist, that He is created, we produce and transform. That is why the Council of Nicea, as mentioned above, anathematized this heresy and confessed the true faith: The Fathers did not say that the Son is simply like the Father, so that (Christians) would believe in Him not as similar only to the Father, but as true God from God. They even wrote that He is consubstantial, as it is natural for a real and true Son from the true Father and by nature to be. They did not separate the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, but glorified Him together with the Father and the Son in one faith in the Holy Trinity, because in the Holy Trinity 122 there is one Divinity.” About the return of bulk bread to the churches. Having read this message, the king confirmed this confession and conviction of faith, which he himself had, and issued another law, which ordered the return to the churches of the amount of food supplies that Constantine the Great had appropriated to them, because Julian, having begun the fight with our God and Savior, deprived them of this allowance. But since the famine that happened due to his wickedness did not allow him to collect the contributions established by Constantine, Jovian ordered only a third to be given (to the churches), and promised to deliver the full amount of bread to them when the time of famine had passed. Having decorated the beginning of his reign with such laws, Jovian went from Antioch to the Bosporus, but ended his life in the village of Dadastan, which lies on the border of Bithynia and Galatia. He himself departed with the greatest and most beautiful parting words, 123 but he left those who had experienced his royal meekness in grief. I think that the general manager of everything, although, to expose our evil behavior, shows us blessings, but then takes them away again, teaching us through how easy it is for him to give us everything that He pleases, and by this He exposes us that we are unworthy of blessings, and disposes us to a better life. About the reign of Valentinian and how he made his brother Valens co-ruler. Having learned about the unexpected death of the king, the army mourned the deceased as a father, and proclaimed king that Valentinian, who with his own hand struck the church servant and for this was imprisoned in the fortress, a man distinguished not only by courage, but also by intelligence, prudence, justice, and tall stature of the body. Moreover, he possessed such royal greatness of spirit that when the army tried to offer him a co-ruler, he gave the following, everyone-famous answer: “When there was no king, it was up to you, soldiers, to entrust me with the reins of government; but as soon as I assumed power, it is already my business, and not yours, to sort out state affairs.” Surprised and delighted by these words, the warriors from then on obeyed his every call. Meanwhile, however, having called his brother 124 from Pannonia, he did it - it would be better if he had not done this! - his co-ruler, when the latter contained still intact dogmas of faith. He gave the scepters of Asia and Egypt to his brother, but kept Europe for himself. Having held the West, Valentinian began his reign with decrees on piety and established excellent laws in all areas. When Auxentius, who was entrusted with the Mediolan church and who was infected with the plague of Arius, ended his life, for which he was excommunicated by many councils, then the king, having gathered the bishops, uttered the following words to them: “You know well, because you are imbued with divine teaching, what one should be like who is awarded the episcopate, you know that he must set up his subordinates not only in word, but also in life, to be the first example of all virtue and in his life to present evidence of your teaching. Now elevate such and such a man to the episcopal see, so that we, the rulers of the kingdom, can sincerely accept his admonitions as a life-saving medicine.” On the ordination of Ambrose as Bishop of Milan. When the king said this, the council suggested that he himself, as a wise man and adorned with piety, elect a bishop. But he said: “This assignment is beyond our strength, it is better for you to choose, since you have been honored with Divine grace and accepted that heavenly light.” After this, the bishops went out and began to discuss this on their own. Meanwhile, a quarrel arose among the inhabitants of that city: some of them tried to name one, and others another. Those infected with Auxentius's disease elected their like-minded people, and sensible citizens wanted to have a man of the same opinions as their shepherd. Then Ambrose, who was entrusted with civil authority over the region, learning about this turmoil and fearing that something bad might happen, hastily occupied the church. At that moment, the people, leaving the strife, suddenly cried out unanimously and demanded Ambrose as their shepherd, but he had not yet been baptized. Having learned about this, the king immediately ordered the baptism and ordination of this praiseworthy man, for he knew that Ambrose’s meaning was more accurate than any scales, and opinions more accurate than any rule. Moreover, taking into account the unanimous consent of the dissenting parties, he guessed that this election was the work of God. When (Ambrose) received the gift of divine and all-holy baptism, and then accepted the grace of episcopacy, then this, most excellent king in all respects, who was personally present at these events, they say, offered the following song of praise to the Savior Lord: “Thanks be to Thee, O Lord Almighty and our Savior, that to the same man to whom I entrusted the body, Thou didst entrust the soul, and thereby showed that my election was fair.” A few days after this, the divine Ambrose, speaking very boldly with the king, condemned some illegal actions of the authorities. “Your courage was known to me before,” the king told him, “Knowing about it, I not only did not contradict your ordination, but added my own to the general voice. Healing the ulcers of our souls, as the divine law inspires you.” This is what he expressed and did in Mediolan. Having learned that in Asia and Phrygia some were entering into disputes about divine dogmas, he ordered a council to be held in Illyria 125, and what was determined and approved at it, he sent to the disputants. And those who came together at the council determined to maintain the Nicene faith. And on his own behalf, together with his brother, he sent a message to Asia in which he convinced those who were quarreling to agree with the resolutions of the council. I will cite this very law; it clearly testifies to the piety of Valentinian, as well as to the fact that at that time Valens, regarding Divine dogmas, still adhered to sound concepts. Epistle of the kings Valentinian and Valens, written to the Asian region on consubstantiality. “The Great Autocrats, the Venerable, the Victors, the Augusti - Valentinian, Valens and Gratian 126 to the bishops of the Asian district, Phrygia, Carophrygia-Pacacian 127 we wish good health in the Lord. After lengthy studies of the numerous council convened in Illyria to consider the saving doctrine, the most blessed bishops determined that the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - is consubstantial. Without in the least shying away from the service rightly entrusted to them, they honor Her in accordance with the God-honoring of the great king, and our Majesty ordered to announce it, however, so that no one would think that he follows the God-worship of the king ruling this land, rejecting the One who commanded us the saving teaching. The Gospel of our God also contains the following thought: “Render ... unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and the things that belong to God to the gods of God” (Matthew 22.21). What are you saying, bishops and representatives of the saving teaching? If this is your profession of faith, then, loving one another, stop abusing the dignity of a king and do not persecute those who zealously serve God; their prayers calm wars on earth and repulse the attacks of fallen angels. With their petitions they try to repel all the demons-destroyers, legally pay state duties and do not resist the power of the autocrat, but sincerely observe the commands of both the great king and God, and obey our laws, while you turned out to be rebellious people. We used all means for you from first to last, and you betrayed us. However, we do not want to share your unclean intentions, like Pilate, during the torture of Christ who lived among the people, not wanting to kill Him and, however, hearing that they were seeking His execution, he turned to the east and, asking for water, washed his hands and said: “I am innocent of blood and righteousness for this” (Matthew 27:24) 128. So is our Majesty constantly ordered not to persecute the cultivators of Christ's field, not to oppress them and not to envy them, not to drive out the stewards of the great king, so that it would not seem that even now you are growing in regard to our power and belong to the servants of the one who is called the trampler of the Covenant of Christ, as happened in the blood of Zechariah, the allies of that trampler were crushed by our king Jesus Christ who came from above and were handed over to the court of death. together with their assistant, the demon-destroyer. These thoughts of ours should be conveyed to you by Amegetius, Chironius, Damasus, Dailampon and Vretisius, 129 who heard them from us and with whom we send the very deeds to you, so that you know what has been done by this venerable council. We have also added to these documents the conciliar dogmas, the content of which in general terms is the following: In accordance with the great and Orthodox council, we confess that the Son is consubstantial with the Father - and we understand consubstantial things not as they once were interpreted by others who insincerely signed our confession, or as others now interpret it, calling those former ones their fathers. They weaken the meaning of this word and, following the writings of their predecessors, say that likeness is expressed by consubstantiality and that through this latter the Son is not equal to any of the other creatures created by him, but is likened to the Father alone. Thus, those who explain this word impiously teach that the Son of God is only the most excellent creation. On the contrary, we, in accordance with the current councils in Rome and Gaul, think that the essence of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one and the same in three Persons, that is, in three perfect hypostases 130. We, also in accordance with the Nicene Statement of Faith, confess that the consubstantial Son of God was incarnate from St. The Virgin Mary, hovered between people and his birth, suffering, resurrection and ascension into heaven, fulfilled all the dispensation for us, and that He will come again to reward us on the day of judgment, depending on the life of each, He will appear to people in the flesh and show His Divine power as a flesh-bearing God, and not as a God-bearing man. We anathematize those who think contrary to this. We likewise anathematize those who insincerely anathematize people who say and write that before the birth of the Son there was no one, and that before the Son was actually born, He existed with the Father in potentiality. This is characteristic of all creatures, which do not always exist with God, while the Son always exists with the Father, being begotten by eternal generation.” Thus the tsar revealed in general terms the contents of the conciliar resolution; and I will include this very decree in my history. Conciliar message of the Illyrian Council on faith. “The Illyrian bishops wish the churches of God and the bishops of the Asiatic district, Phrygia, Carophrygia-Pacaciana to live well in the Lord. Having gathered in one place and considering the saving teaching for a long time, we determined that the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - is consubstantial. Justice demanded that I write about this to you too - not in order to sophistically prove the veneration of the Trinity, but in order to speak about Her humbly. We sent this message to you through our beloved brother and colleague, Presbyter Elpidius. Not in the writings of our hands, but in the books of our Savior Jesus Christ it is written, “I am Paul, I am Apollos, I am Cephas, I am Christ... Will Paul be crucified for you, or will you be baptized in the name of Paul” (1 Cor 1.12, 13)? For our humility, it would be enough not to write a letter to you at all, but since in almost your entire district you preach such terrible wickedness that you separate the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, we considered it necessary to send to you our lord and fellow servant Elpidius with this letter, received from the royal authorities of Rome, so that he would find out whether this is really your teaching. Let all who preach that the Trinity is not consubstantial be anathema; and even he is anathema who would be convicted of communicating with them. On the contrary, those who confess that the Trinity is consubstantial are destined for the kingdom of heaven. So, we beseech you, brethren, not to teach or think otherwise; By preaching always and everywhere that the Trinity is consubstantial, you will be able to inherit the kingdom of God. Speaking about this in our letter, we remembered that we also need to write to you about the bishops being appointed or about the appointment of concelebrants. Men should be appointed as bishops from among the nobles, if they adhere to sound teaching, otherwise they should be chosen from among the elders. Likewise, elders and deacons must be chosen from the clergy, and not from the civil or military, so that they are blameless in all respects. However, we do not want to write to you much because we are sending to you one of us all, our lord and fellow servant Elpidius, so that he will carefully examine your teaching, whether it is the same as we heard from our lord and fellow servant Eustathius. If you are truly in error, then put off the old man and put on the new. That brother and our co-servant Elpidius will teach you to preach the true faith, that is, that the Holy Trinity, consubstantial with God and the Father, is sanctified, glorified and manifested by the Holy Spirit, that the Father is in the Son, the Son in the Father with the Holy Spirit forever. At His appearance, we can clearly confess the holy, consubstantial Trinity in accordance with the faith anciently set forth in Nicaea and approved by the fathers. By preaching this faith, we will certainly escape the snares of the destructive demon, and having destroyed it, we will greet each other with peaceful letters and live in harmony with each other. We wrote this letter with the intention of letting you know that the excommunicated Arians are those who do not confess that the Son and the Holy Spirit are from the essence of the Father. We give here their names: Polychronius, Telemachus, Faustus, Asclepiades, Amantius, Cleopatra. And all this is done in this way for the glory of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, amen. We wish you health in the Father and Son our Savior Christ, with the Holy Spirit, for many years to come. This kind of care for the apostolic dogmas was exerted by this king worthy of all praise. Around this time, a certain Obadiah, a Syrian both by origin and language, became the inventor of a new teaching. He had long ago begun to suffer from evil, but he discovered himself only at that time. And firstly, madly understanding the words: “Let us make man in Our image and likeness” (Gen. 1:26), he thought and assumed that the deity has a human image, and began to imagine that It is endowed with bodily members, not seeing the intention of Divine Scripture, which the actions of God are often signified by the names of human members because people, unable to understand subtle truths, more conveniently understand Divine providence through these images. To this impious teaching he added other similar opinions. Basing his teaching on the error of Manes 131, he said that the God of all is not the Creator of either fire or darkness. However, his like-minded people hide these and many other opinions. They say that they are separating themselves from the class of clergy because some of them force (debtors) to pay damned interest; others lead a lawless life, uniting with their wives through illegal marriage, and whoever is free from this (in their opinion), they enter into communication without hindrance. These are the reasons, they say, to hide our blasphemous dogmas by which we live on our own. But this pretext is filled with pride and comes from the Pharisees’ teaching, because the Pharisees also accused the Physician of souls and bodies, saying St. To the Apostles: “Why does your teacher eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 9.11)? God speaks about such people through the Prophet: “who say: ... I am pure, do not touch me; this is the smoke of my wrath" (Isaiah 65.5). However, now is not the time to refute their madness, and therefore I move on to the narration of other events. Around the same time, the Messalian heresy was born. Translators of this name into Greek call them euchyta 132. However, they also have a name borrowed from the case itself; that is, they are known under the name of enthusiasts, because they have the assistance of some demon, and this assistance is taken to be the presence of the Holy Spirit in them. Highly infected with such a disease, they avoid, as if it were evil, all manual labor and, indulging in sleep, the dreams of dreams are called prophecies. The leaders of this heresy were Dado, Savva, Adelphi, Erma, Simeon and others. They do not move away from church communion, saying that the Divine food, about which the Lord Christ said: “who eats my flesh and drinks my blood... he will live forever,” does not harm and does not benefit (John 6.56, 58). Trying to hide their illness, even after exposure they shamelessly close themselves off and even shun those who think in accordance with their inner convictions. Litoy, the ruler of the Meletin church 133, a man adorned with Divine zeal, seeing that many monasteries, or better to say, dens of robbers, were infected with this disease, he burned them and drove the wolves out of the herd. Likewise, the all-validated Amphilochius, who was entrusted with shepherding the metropolis of Lycaonia 134 and who ruled the entire region, having learned that this ulcer had spread to his region, rebelled against it and freed the flock he grazed from this infection. The famous Flavian 135, having become the bishop of Antioch and having learned that in Edessa there were people who were infecting their neighbors with their poison, called many monks to Antioch and, who had locked themselves in their illness, denounced them in the following way: he said that their accusers were slanderers, and the witnesses against them were liars, and meanwhile, affectionately calling Adelphius to him, who was already in deep trouble. old age, invited him to sit next to him and said: “We, old man, having lived in the world for quite a long time, have better studied the nature of man, better known the tricks of our opponents, demons, and have experienced the beneficial help from experience itself. And these young people, not yet knowing anything like this well, are reluctant to listen to spiritual speeches. So tell me, how do I understand your words that a hostile spirit is removed from a person and the grace of the All-Holy Spirit settles in him?” Fascinated by these words, the old man vomited out all his hidden poison. He said that those worthy of Divine baptism do not receive any benefit from it, but that one fervent prayer drives out the demon living in a person. Each of the earthly creatures borrowed from their progenitor both nature and slavish service to demons. But when they are driven out by fervent prayer, the All-Holy Spirit takes their place and reveals its presence in a tangible and visible way, namely: it frees the body from the agitation of passions and completely distracts the soul from the inclination to evil, so that neither fasting is needed to curb the body, nor teaching is needed to restrain a person and instill in him decent behavior. Whoever has achieved this is not only freed from carnal lusts, but also clearly sees the future, and contemplates the Divine Trinity with (bodily) eyes. When in this way the divine Flavian dug up the deadly source and opened the stream of wickedness, he said to the unfortunate old man: “O you, head gray in evil! You are now convicted not by me, but by your own lips; The witness against you is your own word.” After such a discovery of their illness, they were expelled from Syria and, retiring to Pamphylia, filled it with their infection. About how Valens fell into heresy. Now I will tell other historical events and show the beginning of that storm that created a lot of unrest in the churches. Having accepted the kingdom, Valens first practiced the apostolic dogmas. When the Goths crossed the Ister and began to devastate Thrace, he gathered an army and intended to wage war against them. At the same time, it seemed to him that it was better to fight, protecting himself with the full armor of all-holy baptism, than remaining alien to Divine grace 136. And this thought of his was good and very wise, but what happened after this shows the extreme weakness of his soul and exposes his betrayal of the truth. He, poor man, suffered the same thing as the forefather Adam, for, like the latter, he was enslaved by the fact that he was seduced by the words of his wife - he was taken captive not by the force of arms, but by the deceptive words of a woman. Having first become the prey of Arian deception, Valens's wife 137 dragged her husband along with her, and Valens, together with her, fell into the same abyss of blasphemy. His leader and secret celebrant was Eudoxius, who at that time still held the helm of Constantinople and did not steer the ship, but sank it. About how he removed the bishops who shone with valor. Eudoxius, while still baptizing this unfortunate man, bound him with an oath so that he himself would be faithful to the wicked dogmas and expel from everywhere those who think differently. Thus, leaving the apostolic teaching, Valens went over to the side of the opponents, and after some time he fulfilled the remaining points of the oath. He expelled the great Meletius from Antioch, the divine Eusebius from Samosata, and deprived Laodicea of ​​its wondrous shepherd Pelagius 138. This (Pelagius) picked up the yoke of marriage in his youth, but on the very first day on the marriage bed he convinced the bride to prefer purity and brotherly love to the marital bond, and thus accomplished the feat of chastity. In addition, he had other virtues akin to chastity and inseparable from it, and therefore, by a general verdict, he was elevated to the rank of primate. But even this brilliance of his life did not reassure the enemy of truth: he exiled Pelagius to Arabia, the divine Meletius to Armenia, and Eusebius, exhausted by his apostolic labors, to Thrace. This Eusebius, having learned that many churches were deprived of shepherds, put on the clothes of a warrior, put a tiara on his head and in this form went through Syria, Phenicia and Palestine, ordaining presbyters, deacons, replenishing the clergy with other church ranks; and when he met like-minded bishops, he made them primates of those churches that had a need (for a primate). About Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata 139. Now, to those who do not know, I consider it necessary to show how much courage and wisdom Eusebius displayed when he received the royal decree commanding him to go to Thrace. A man with this decree arrived to him in the evening, and Eusebius asked him to remain silent and hide the reason for his arrival. If the people, imbued with Divine jealousy, he said, find out why you came, they will drown you, and I will be executed for your death. Having said this and having conducted the evening service, as usual, the elder, when everyone had fallen asleep for the first time, alone, accompanied only by a servant, left the house and went on foot, and the servant following him carried the headboard and books. Having reached the bank of the river (because the Euphrates flowed near the very walls of the city), he entered the ship and ordered the rowers to sail to Zeugma 140. When day came, the swimmers were already in Zeugma, and meanwhile Samosat was already resounding with cries and weeping: for as soon as that servant informed his acquaintances of what he had been ordered, and about the persons who were to accompany the bishop, and about the books he was carrying, immediately everyone began to mourn the loss of the shepherd, and the river was suddenly filled with ships setting off on their journey. Those who sailed on them reached Zeugma and, seeing the desired shepherd there, with sobs, groans and tears, tried to convince him to stay and not give the herds as prey to the wolves. When, without convincing him, they listened to the apostolic commandment pronounced to themselves, clearly commanding them to obey the rulers and authorities (Rom 13.1) 141, then some brought him gold, others - silver, others - clothes, and some gave him servants, like a man who goes to a foreign and distant direction, but he took only a little from the people closest to him, then, strengthening everyone with instructions and requests and urging him to stand firmly for the apostolic dogmas, he went to Ister, and the citizens returned to their city and, encouraging each other, began to wait for the attack of the wolves. About the pious zeal of the Samatatians, about the presbyter Antiochus and the deacon Evolkia. I will tell about the warmth and sincerity of their faith, because not to mention this in history, in my opinion, would be to offend them. When the Arians deprived this flock of a good shepherd and installed another primate in his place, none of the inhabitants of the city, neither poor nor rich, nor servant, nor artisan, nor farmer, nor gardener, nor husband, nor wife, nor young man, nor old man, came as usual to the church meeting. The new primate lived alone, no one saw him or spoke to him, although, according to stories, he treated him very kindly, for which I will present evidence. One day he wanted to wash, and the servants at the bathhouse, closing the doors, did not allow those who wanted to enter. Then, seeing a crowd of people in front of the doors, he ordered them to be opened and invited everyone to wash freely with him. He did the same in the bath. While swimming here, he saw that some came up to him, and asked them to share a bath with him in the warm waters, but those who approached stood silently. Then, assuming that they were standing out of respect for him, the bather stood up and immediately left the bath, and they, thinking that the water itself was contaminated with the plague of heresy, lowered it into underground pipes and ordered them to pour themselves fresh. Having learned about this, the bishop left the city, for he considered it the greatest folly and madness to live in such a city where everyone hated him and had ill will towards him. After Eunomius (that was his name) was removed from Samosat, the Arians replaced him with the famous wolf and sheep predator Lucius. However, these sheep, even without a shepherd, did what is typical of shepherds: they remained faithful to the apostolic teaching to the end and kept it intact, and how they abhorred this second (bishop) too, the following story will show. Children in the square were throwing a ball and having fun playing. At this time, a bishop was passing by and it happened that a thrown ball rolled under the feet of his donkey. Then the children screamed, assuming that the ball had become defiled. Noticing this, Lucius ordered one of his retinue to stay and find out what they would do. The children lit a fire and, throwing the ball through the flames, made sure that in this way it was cleansed. I know that this is a childish act - a remnant of an ancient custom, but it sufficiently shows what hatred this city had for the followers of Arius. However, Lucius did not imitate the meekness of Eunomius, but convinced the leaders to send many - even from the clergy - into exile, and sent those who defended divine dogmas with particular force to the very borders of the Roman Empire. He imprisoned Euvolcius, who had been awarded the degree of deacon, in the deserted town of Oasis, and Antiochus, who was also adorned by his relationship with the great Eusebius, who was his uncle, and who shone with many of his own virtues, and, moreover, who had already been awarded the degree of priesthood, he drove him to the edge of Armenia. How Antiochus fought for divine dogmas will be shown by the following incident. When the divine Eusebius, after many battles and as many victories, accepted the end of martyrdom, then, as usual, a regional council was drawn up, to which the then bishop of Perga, Jovian, also arrived, who had shortly before allowed communion with the Arians. At the council, everyone elected Antiochus as the successor of the divine Eusebius and, leading him to the sacred meal, ordered him to kneel. But, looking back, he saw that Jovian had laid his hand on his head, and therefore, pushing it away, ordered him to separate from those ordaining and said: “I cannot tolerate the right hand, which received the right to perform the sacraments through blasphemy.” This happened a little later - and for this act he was exiled to the depths of Armenia. Meanwhile, the divine Eusebius, as can be seen from his writings, lived in Istra when the Goths devastated Thrace and besieged its cities. About Saint Bars, Bishop of Edessa and the clergy exiled with him. The glory of Barsa is still great not only in Edessa, which he ruled, and in the cities close to it, but also in Phenicia, and in Egypt, and Thebaid, because with the lamp of his virtue he went around all these regions. Valens first ordered him to live on the island of Arad 142, but, having learned that countless crowds of people were flocking from everywhere to him, as a man filled with apostolic grace and who healed illnesses with his words, he exiled him to the Egyptian city of Oxyrhynchus 143. When the fame of him attracted everyone there, the old man worthy of heaven was taken to the most distant fortress named Feno, which lay in the vicinity of the barbarians. They say that his bed is still preserved in Arad and enjoys the greatest respect there, for many of the sick, being placed on it, receive health through faith. About the persecution that took place in Edessa. Having deprived this flock of a shepherd, Valens, instead of a shepherd, placed a wolf over it. But when all the citizens, having left the city, began to gather outside its walls, then he himself came to Edessa and ordered the prefect - and the prefect of Edessa at that time was Modest - to gather the soldiers who usually collected taxes, and, adding to them several who were heavily armed, disperse the gathered crowd, cross it with rods and sticks, and if necessary, use other military weapons. At dawn the prefect wanted to carry out this order. But, crossing the square, he saw a woman with a child in her arms, who was walking very hastily. Not paying attention to anything, she ran through the line of soldiers, because the soul, inflamed by Divine jealousy, is not involved in human fear and considers all such horrors funny and worthy of a joke. Noticing her and guessing what was the matter, the prefect called her and asked: where is she going? “I have learned about the executions planned for the servants of God,” she answered, “and I am hastening to my fellow believers, so that together with them I may be subjected to the murder that is being prepared for you.” “Why are you carrying the child? - said the prefect. “Then,” the mother answered, “so that he too, together with me, would accept his longed-for death.” Hearing this from the woman and learning that everyone had the same jealousy as hers, the prefect notified the king about this and let him notice that murder would be useless: “By doing this,” he said, “we will only bring dishonor upon ourselves, but we will not extinguish their jealousy.” As a result of such a report, the king freed the people from the torment that everyone expected, but only ordered that their leaders, that is, presbyters and deacons, be brought to him in order to do one of two things to them: either to dispose them to communicate with the wolf, or to drive them out of the city and exile to some distant lands. Having gathered everyone, the prefect tried to convince them with kind words so that they would obey the royal commands. It is madness, he said, for a small number of people to stand against a king who rules so many and such great nations. About the Edessa presbyters Eulogia and Protogen. When they all stood in silence, the prefect said to their superior (this was the venerable husband of Eulogia): “Why do you not answer my words?” “I didn’t think,” he said, “that I need to answer when I’m not asked.” “However, how much have I told you,” continued the prefect, “inclining you to what might be useful to you!” “This was said to everyone in general,” answered Eulogy, “and it seemed inappropriate for me to explain myself to one of everyone. But if you ask only me, then I will express my opinion.” Then the elder said that they have a shepherd, and they obey his every call. The prefect, having seized eighty people, exiled them to Thrace. Having been led into exile, they everywhere saw signs of the greatest respect for themselves: these victorious warriors were praised by all the cities and villages they came across on the road, so that envy prompted their opponents to inform the king that the dishonor they supposed to those men brought them the greatest glory. Having learned about this, Valens ordered to divide them all into two and scatter some in Thrace, others throughout Arabia, and others in the towns of Thebaid. And they say that inhuman people separated even those whom nature itself united, so that they tore brother from brother; Eulogius, who was the superior of all the others, and Protogenes, second behind him, the king exiled to the Theban city of Antinous 144. I will not consign their valor to oblivion. When in that city they found a like-minded bishop and began to participate in church meetings, they saw that there were very few people gathered, and, asking about the reason, they learned that almost all the inhabitants of that city were Hellenes. This disposed them, as might be expected, to sorrow and lamentation of unbelief. However, at the same time, they understood that mourning alone was not enough, but care was required for the feasible healing of non-believers. Therefore, the divine Eulogius, locked in a cell, begged God of all kinds day and night, and the wondrous Protogen, having studied the Holy Scriptures and quickly improved in the art of writing, found a convenient place to establish a school or educational institution and, becoming a teacher of children, soon taught them all to write and instructed them in the Divine teaching. He recited to them the songs of David and forced them to study the most useful passages from the books of the apostles. One day it happened that one of the boys became ill. Protogen came to his house and, taking the sick man by the hand, with his prayer drove the disease out of him. This became known to the parents and other children, and they took him to their homes and asked him to help the sick, and he said that only then would he pray to God to ward off the disease when the sick person was awarded the gift of baptism. They willingly obeyed because they were burning with the desire to recover, and at the same time they received mental and physical health. If he convinced someone healthy to accept Divine grace, he brought him to Eulogius and, knocking on the door, asked him to open and put the seal of the Lord on the captured person. Sometimes Eulogius expressed displeasure that his prayer was interrupted, but Protogen said that the salvation of the erring was more necessary. Everyone was surprised that Protogen, such a miracle worker, who communicated the light of the knowledge of God to so many people, for all this, gave primacy to Eulogius and brought to him those whom he caught - and from this they rightly concluded that (Eulogius) had much greater and higher valor. Finally, when the storm subsided and clear weather arrived, they received orders to return from exile, and then everyone saw them off with sobs and tears, and especially the rector of that church, who had lost them as workers in the field of God. Upon their arrival in the fatherland, the divine Eulogius, instead of the great Varsa, who had departed to a carefree life, took the helm of the church he ruled 145, and the wondrous Protogen received the command to enlighten Carrhae, a deserted city overgrown with Hellenic thorns and requiring tireless hard work. But all this happened after the pacification of the churches. About Saint Basil, Bishop of Caesarea and what Valens and the prefect Modest did against him. In a word, having deprived each church of its shepherd, Valens went to Caesarea, where the Cappadocians lived. Its rector at that time was Basil the Great, the luminary of the universe. The king sent a prefect to him, ordering him either to convince him to enter into communication with Eudoxius, or to exile him if he did not agree. Since the glory of this man had previously reached Valens, he did not want to attack him suddenly, so that, having firmly met the attack and repelled it, Vasily would not become a model of courage for others, for the ancient legends served to the benefit of subsequent bishops and, like a stronghold, made the fence of faith inaccessible. But his cunning turned out to be like a spider's web. Arriving in Caesarea, the prefect sent for Basil the Great and, receiving him with honor, began to speak kindly to him, convincing him to yield to the circumstances of the time and not oppose so many churches, for the sake of some dogmatic subtleties. At the same time, he promised Vasily the Tsar’s friendship, which would be followed by many benefits for him. But this divine man said that such speeches are appropriate for children, for only children and people like them are deceived by things of this kind, and those imbued with holy teaching will not agree to yield a single letter of the divine dogmas and, if necessary, will suffer all kinds of death for them. As for the king’s friendship, I highly value it when combined with piety, and without piety I consider it destruction. At these words the prefect became furious and told him that he was going crazy, but the divine Vasily answered: “I wish I could always have such madness.” Then he was ordered to go out and, having come to his senses, announce his intention tomorrow. These words are accompanied by a threat. But that all-valuable husband, they say, said: “I will remain the same tomorrow, and you, too, do not change your intentions and fulfill the threat.” After such a conversation, the prefect, meeting the king on the road, conveyed to him the words of Vasily, spoke about the valor of this man and announced the courage and fearlessness of his soul. At that time, the king remained silent and entered the city, but when he saw that God had sent various misfortunes to his house - because his son 146 was sick and was at the door of the tomb, and his wife was exposed to various ailments - then he understood the reason for these disasters, and that divine man, who was threatened with execution, began to ask to visit his house. The executors of this royal command were the military leaders. Arriving at the royal palace and seeing that the king’s son was dying, Basil the Great promised to bring him back to life if he was worthy of all-holy baptism from the Orthodox, and, having said this, he left. But the king, like the mad Herod, remembering his oaths, ordered the Aryan accomplices who were with him to baptize the child, and his son died immediately after that. Having repented and realized, he entered the divine church, listened to the teaching of Basil the Great and brought the usual gifts to the altar. Then Vasily, calling him behind the sacred curtain, where he himself stood, spoke to him a lot about divine dogmas, and the king listened to his words. At the same time, someone named Demosthenes, the royal steward 147 was present and reproached the universal teacher as if he had allowed barbarism. Here the divine Vasily, smiling, said: “Apparently Demosthenes is also illiterate.” When he became angry and began to threaten him, then the great Basil said: “Your business is to take care of the seasonings for the stews, and not to listen to discussions about divine dogmas, because your ears are blocked for this.” This was the answer to him. Meanwhile, the king was so delighted with this man that he gave the beautiful lands that belonged to him in Caesarea to the poor, who were under his care, their entire bodies were relaxed and required special care. In this way, Basil the Great escaped the first attack from Valens. On his second visit to Caesarea, the king, having forgotten what he had done before, because the flatterers had taken possession of his mind, began again to persuade Vasily to go over to his opponents and, unable to convince him, ordered a decree to be written about his exile: but when he wanted to seal this decree with the signature of his hand, he could not draw a single letter, because the cane was broken. The same thing happened with another, and a third, but he still wanted to confirm his wicked decree, until finally his hand began to shake and tremble. Then horror seized his soul, and he tore the paper with both hands. The Provider of all showed by this that others suffered only by His permission and that he placed Vasily above the machinations arranged for him, wanting to show his strength in the dangers that surrounded him and, on the other hand, to glorify the courage of valiant people. Thus Valens, having renewed the attack, was once again deceived in his hope. About the death of Saint Athanasius and the ordination of Peter. When the victorious Athanasius, after many battles and as many crowns, was freed from labor and reposed 148 into another life, where there are no sorrows, the excellent husband Peter received the abbot of Alexandria. First, that blessed head chose him - and everyone agreed with her choice, both persons of the clergy and the highest ranks; At the same time, the people expressed their pleasure with joyful exclamations. Peter took part in all the labors of Athanasius, remained with him, whether he was at home or in a foreign country, and endured various dangers with him. That is why both neighboring bishops and those who spent their lives in places of asceticism, leaving them, came to Alexandria and demanded that Peter inherit the throne of Athanasius. About the expulsion of Peter and the elevation in his place of the Arian Lucius. As soon as Peter was seated at the bishop's see, the head of the region, having gathered a crowd of Hellenes and Jews, surrounded the walls of the church 149 and began to convince him to leave there. Otherwise, he threatened to kick him out by force. He did this, wanting, on the one hand, to do what was pleasing to the king, on the other, to subject Christians with an opposite way of thinking to disaster; in fact, he was carried away by ungodly rage, because he was devoted to idolatry and considered the turmoil of the church to be his greatest triumph. Seeing this unexpected war, the wondrous Peter went out secretly and, boarding a ship, sailed to Rome. Then, a few days later, Euzoos arrived in Antioch, accompanied by Lucius, and this Lucius, whom Samosates had already experienced wickedness and lawlessness, gave to the church. The people, nourished by the teachings of Athanasius, now seeing a completely different food, lagged behind church meetings, but Lucius, using a military guard of idolaters, flogged some, imprisoned others, forced others to flee, and, imitating the barbarians, devastated the houses of some. The wondrous Peter described all this much better in his epistle. I will tell only one more crime of Lucius, and then I will introduce into my history the very letter of Peter. In Egypt, some men, jealous of the angelic life, left the noise of the city and, preferring life in the desert, made the sandy and barren desert fruitful, and made it a law to bear the most beautiful and pleasing fruit to God - virtue. There were many leaders of this life, but the most excellent leader in the fulfillment of ascetic regulations was that much-praised Anthony, who made the desert a place of exploits of virtue for ascetics. It was his disciples (he himself, with the greatest and most beautiful acquisitions, had already reached a windless pier) began to be persecuted by this poor and extremely pitiful man. Having brought out the abbots of these divine hosts from the cave shelter: the glorious Macarius, and another of the same name, also Isidore and others, he exiled them to one island inhabited by wicked people and who had not seen a single teacher of piety within its borders. When the ship sailed to the island, a demon revered by the local inhabitants, leaving the idol that had long served as his home, possessed the priest’s daughter and led the raging woman to the shore, towards which the rowers were steering the ship. Using the girl’s tongue as a tool, he began to say with a cry the same thing that the servant girl who had the prophetic spirit said in Philippi (Acts 16:16). All men and women heard that demon say the following: “This is your power, servants of Christ! You drove us out from everywhere - from cities and villages, from mountains and hills, and even from the uninhabited desert. Living on this island, we hoped to avoid your arrows, but our hopes were deceived. The persecutors sent you here not to cause you grief, but in order to use your power to drive us out of here. We are leaving that island too, because we are being driven out by the rays of your virtue.” Having said this and other similar things, they threw the girl to the ground, and they themselves completely disappeared. Meanwhile, the divine host of ascetics, having prayed, raised up the maiden and gave her to her father, sensible and healthy. The eyewitnesses of this miracle, falling at the feet of those saints, begged them to give them the means of salvation, destroyed the idolatry and, illuminated by the rays of teaching, were honored with the grace of all-holy baptism. As soon as the news of this spread throughout the city, everyone gathered and reproached Lucius, saying that they were threatened with the wrath of God if that divine host of saints were not returned. Therefore, fearing to arouse unrest in the city, Lucius allowed those Godly men to return to the caves. And this is already enough to show his lewdness and wickedness, but the message of the wondrous Peter shows even more clearly the iniquities that he dared to commit. Wanting to avoid prolongation, I will include in my essay only the middle of that message. Narration from the letter of Peter of Alexandria about what Lucius did in Alexandria The head of the region, Palladius, who adhered to pagan teachings and always worshiped idols, often tried to fight with Christ, and now, having gathered the above-mentioned crowds, rushed to the church, as if he was in a hurry to conquer the barbarians. And then the most terrible things happened. When I just want to talk about them, the very memory strikes me with grief, and an immense stream of tears flows from my eyes. Perhaps I would have suffered for a long time if I had not calmed down by thinking about God. Having entered the church called Theona, the crowds, instead of expressing reverence, brought in praises of idols, instead of reading the divine scriptures - ugly applause, sounds loudly and shamelessly spewed out and words offensive against the works of Christ, which the tongue cannot pronounce, because it is shameful to even utter them (Eph 5.12). And indeed, whoever among the right-minded heard them immediately covered their ears and wished better to remain deaf than to be a listener to such obscene language. But if in their error they had been content with mere words, if their actions had not exceeded the impudence of their words! No matter how great the reproach, it is still bearable for those in whom the divine commandments and the wisdom of Christ dwell. No, these were, as it were, vessels of rage prepared for the destruction of others (Rom. 9:22) with a curved nose, from which a loud and vile noise flew out through the nostrils and poured, so to speak, through the tap - these tore off the clothes from the virgins of Christ, whose asceticism represented the image of holy angels, and, stripping them to natural nakedness, they triumphantly led throughout the city and shamelessly mocked them as they wanted. And all their deeds were extremely cruel and unheard of. Whoever, out of compassion, wanted to keep them and used words of persuasion, paid with wounds. But here are the most disastrous things: many of the virgins turned out to be victims of violence; many, beaten on the head with sticks, fell lifeless and their bodies were not even allowed to be buried. And therefore, to the grief of the parents, some bodies have not yet been found. But why am I talking about small things instead of talking about great things? Why do I stop here and not move on to something that is more compelling? I am absolutely sure that this will surprise you, that you, along with me, will be amazed for a long time when you recognize the Lord’s love for mankind, which is why he did not immediately destroy the universe. What, according to Scripture, did not happen or was heard of in the days of our fathers (Joel 1.2), the wicked did the same even at the altar. Like a boy who, on the stage of a public show, renounces his masculine nature and represents his feminine nature, smearing, as Scripture says (Wis. 13, 14), his eyes with antimony and painting his face with rouge, as can be seen on their idols, they in the most holy altar, where we invoke the Holy Spirit, wearing a woman’s dress, danced in a circle, waved to and fro hands, laughed and made obscene sounds. But thinking that these were just pranks and that everything they had done was more undecent than lawless, they chose one from among themselves, especially distinguished by shamelessness, and, together with shame, they took off his clothes and placed him in natural nakedness, seated him in the church altar and proclaimed him a shameless speaker against Christ, because instead of divine names he wore shame, instead of sacred words - insolence, instead of piety - wickedness, instead of abstinence - fornication, adultery, sodomy, theft, and he said that food and drink are the healthiest things in life. While this was happening, I left the church: and how could I not leave when soldiers invaded there, when the people were bribed to create disorder, when crowds of pagans were attracted there by payment and great promises? Following this, they sent us a successor, a certain Lucius, who acquired the episcopacy, as if some kind of worldly dignity, with money and tried to be a wolf both in guile and in deeds - they were sent not by the definition of a council of Orthodox bishops, not by the choice of legitimate clergy, not by the demand of the people, as the decrees of the church prescribe. He was accompanied (because he could not simply enter the city) not by bishops, not by presbyters, not by deacons, not by crowds of people; it was not monks who preceded him, singing hymns from the Scriptures - with him was Euzos, who had long since been deposed along with Arius at the holy and great Council of Nicea, when he was still with us in Alexandria and served as a deacon, and now he is corrupting the Church of Antioch with his abbots. With him also went the manager of the distribution of the royal money to the people, named Magnus, who led with him a significant detachment of troops and was known for all kinds of wickedness. This man, in the time of Julian, burned a church in the famous Phoenician city of Berita 150, and during the reign of Jovian, of blessed memory, he was forced to erect it at his own expense, and would have lost his head if he had not received royal mercy from many intercessors. From this, our zeal, which I ask to be aroused in order to take revenge for what has been done, must conclude how many and what kind of atrocities have been committed in the church of God since the time when the above-mentioned tyrant rose up against us. Thus, Lucius entered the city, which was hostile to himself for good reasons, having already been deposed many times by your piety and by Orthodox bishops everywhere. He not only imitates that hateful madness mentioned in the psalms and says that Christ is not the true God (Ps. 13.1), but he also corrupts and corrupts others morally, rejoicing in the blasphemy uttered against the Savior by people who serve the creature more than the Creator. Are his opinions really close to those of the pagans when he, a disastrous man, dares to honor the recent God? After all, the pagans praised him to his face, saying: “Good is your way, bishop, who does not recognize his son; the love of Serapis brought you to us.” And they called their domestic idol Serapis. Then not even a minute had passed before the aforementioned Magnus, the inseparable accomplice of his wickedness, a cruel bodyguard and a bloodthirsty satrap, having gathered crowds subject to his control, seized nineteen presbyters and deacons, some of whom had lived for eighty years, and forced them, as if convicted of some villainy and an act contrary to Roman laws, to change them in a public tribunal convened for that purpose. paternal, through the fathers, the faith handed down to us from the Apostles, while the laws of Christian virtue were unknown to him, and he argued that this would be pleasing to the most philanthropic Augustus Valens. “Agree, unfortunate ones,” he shouted loudly, “agree with the opinion of the Arians. Let you now have true reverence for God: the Divine will forgive us, because you will not do this of your own free will, but under compulsion. Necessity still leaves justification, and arbitrariness is followed by condemnation. Having these thoughts before the eyes of your mind, go quickly and, putting aside all bewilderment, sign the dogma of Arius, now clearly preached by Lucius. Know that if you obey, you will receive money, income, and honors from the kings, and when you refuse, you will experience imprisonment, torment, torture, scourging and torment, and at the same time you will lose both money and property and, expelled from your fatherland, you will be forced to live in wild places.” In this way, this noble man, mixing seduction and threats, encouraged and at the same time forced everyone to deviate from a pious way of thinking. And they, considering betrayal of piety worse than any torture, as it should be, and being forced (to answer), spoke to him in such expressions through which the virtue and nobility of their souls trampled upon his seductions and threats. “Stop, stop scaring us with such ideas; refrain from uttering empty words. After all, we do not honor a recent or new God. In vain will you foam like a wave and rush like a strong wind - until our death we will begin to live in the dogmas of piety, not considering God to be powerless, or not wise, or in some way not true, or that then he was the Father, but then he was not, as this wicked Arian thinks, who believes that the Son is temporary and accidental. If, according to the adherents of Arius, the Son is a creature and is not consubstantial with the Father, then the Father will be reduced to non-existence, for when the Son did not exist, then, according to their own teaching, the Father did not exist either. If God is always the Father, since, that is, there is a Son, truly begotten of him, and not through an outflow (because God is impassible), then who, except the madman and the madman, can think that there was a time when there was no Son, who by grace would have brought all things into being? That is why our fathers throughout the entire universe, from whom these people fell away and became truly illegitimate, gathered in Nicaea, anathematized the wicked teaching of Arius, for which this young man is now interceding, and said that the Son is not non-existent with the Father, as you force us to say, but from His very essence. Having soundly discussed all this with pious thought, they, through the demolition of many passages of Holy Scripture, finally proved and confessed the consubstantiality of the Son.” But as soon as they expressed this and similar things, Magnus put them in prison and kept them under guard for many days, assuming that they would renounce their pious thoughts. However, this further suppressed the feeling of fear in them - and the sufferers, as if they were the most courageous of fighters in the field, inspired by the deeds of their fathers based on God's wisdom, strengthened the idea of ​​piety all the more and considered torture to be the palestra of virtue. While they labored in this way and, as Blessed Paul writes, they were “disgraced... both angel and man” (1 Cor 4.9), - the whole city came running to look at these soldiers of Christ, who with their firmness defeated the scourging of the tormentor-judge, with their patience erected trophies over wickedness, and brightly triumphed over the Arians. This cruel enemy, through threats and seduction, thought to betray them to the wicked against Christ, and therefore, tired of subjecting them to the tortures that his harsh feelings invented, this fierce and alien to all compassion man, with sobs and great, variously expressed grief of the people, again gathered the crowds accustomed to disorder, and decided to judge those sufferers, or better yet, subject them to the condemnation planned in advance, led to the seaside harbor, accompanied by idolaters and Jews, who, having been bribed at a high price, uttered their usual cries. Here, to please the Arians, he, despite the sobs of his people before the judgment seat, decided to move them to live from Alexandria to Phoenician Iliopolis, where not a single resident could hear the name of Christ, because they were all idolaters 151. Magnus ordered them to immediately board the ships, and he himself, standing in the harbor - because he had pronounced condemnation on them near that place in a public bath - showed them a naked sword and thought to frighten with it those who were armed with a two-edged sword and often struck demons with it. This is how they were ordered to go, despite the fact that they had nothing necessary with them and nothing at all to console themselves in exile. But here’s what’s wonderful and incredible: the sea itself foamed and, apparently, was angry, as if it did not want to participate in the unjust command by taking on these men. By this, it announced the barbaric determination of the judge to those who did not know him. And, truly, one can say that heaven itself was outraged by such an act 152. And the whole city groaned and mourns to this day. Some struck their chests with their hands and uttered prolonged groans; others raised their hands and together their eyes to him and called on Him as evidence of violence, as if saying: hear, O heaven, listen, O earth, what a lawless deed is being committed 153. Sobbing echoed everywhere; There were voices and lamentations all over the city, and a river of tears suddenly flowed from everyone and almost covered the sea with its overflow. When the aforementioned Magnus, appearing in the harbor, ordered the sailors to raise the sails, then the mixed sobs of maidens and wives, elders and youths, accompanied by bitter tears, the groans and cries of all of them covered the noise of the foaming sea and the crash of the waves on the shore. And when the aforementioned sufferers sailed to Iliopolis, where every inhabitant is an idolater, where everything is arranged by the devil for pleasure, where there are terrible shelters of animals, because that city is surrounded on all sides by mountains that rise to heaven: then everyone who remained in the city and cried either publicly, or each at home, mixing words with groans, was even forbidden to cry - so commanded the prefect of the city Palladius, who was uniformly the most zealous idolater. Many of those who wept were captured and first kept in custody, and then were flogged, subjected to painful torment and torture, and sent to the Fen and Prikonn mines 154 - and these were people who fought for the church with divine zeal, for most of them belonged to monasticism and lived in the desert for the sake of exploits. A little later, there were twenty-three such people, and with them the executioners publicly led, tied behind his back by the hands of what seemed like a desperate villain - a deacon who was sent from his beloved Damasus, Bishop of Rome, and brought us consoling and at the same time sociable letters. Having accepted the tortures characteristic of murderers, and being struck on the back for a long time with stone and lead balls, he, like the others, went out onto a ship standing at sea - and he was not awarded care and concern, but, having placed the sign of the divine cross on his forehead, he went to the Fenian copper mines. This judge also tortured the children, and placed several guards around their tender bodies to prevent their burial. Parents, brothers and relatives, one might say, the whole city asked to give them only this last consolation: but what terrible inhumanity of the judge or, better yet, the accuser! The devotees of piety were not compared even to murderers, but lay unburied; courageous champions were thrown to be devoured by beasts and birds, and whoever, prompted by conscience, wanted to show compassion to the fathers of the murdered, was beheaded as a criminal. What Roman law, what barbarian opinion forbids compassion for fathers? Who and where committed such lawlessness in ancient times? Pharaoh once commanded to kill Jewish male babies, but this command was inspired in him by envy and fear. And what was done then is how much more merciful than the present act, how much more desirable, if injustice can be desired, how much better if we compare both iniquities, although the atrocities are inseparable from one another! What I say is incredible, inhuman and terrible, cruel and savage, merciless and bitter, but the followers of Aryan madness were proud and admired of it. The whole city cried, “for if there were no house, there was no dead man in it,” as it is written in the book of Exodus (Exodus 12.30), but these people, who had aroused in themselves an indefatigable thirst for lawlessness, did not calm down. Always directing their actions for the worse, they poured out their poison even on diocesan bishops. To inflict insults, taking advantage of the military power of the above-mentioned commander over the distribution of the royal money, they brought some to trial, searched for others as they wanted and, wanting to lead everyone to their wickedness, they dared to use all sorts of means, went around everywhere, and like the father of their heresy - the devil, they looked for “whom they might devour” (1 Peter 5.8). But when everyone decisively rejected their beliefs, then eleven Egyptian bishops, men who from childhood to old age lived in the desert for the sake of exploits, overcame passions in thought and deed, shamelessly preached the pious faith, absorbed the dogmas of piety with their mother's milk, often defeated demons, put their opponents to shame with their virtue, with their wise speeches they denounced the heresy of the Arians - these men, taking advantage as an instrument of their cruelty, by the power of the above-mentioned (Magnus), they resettled the city of Diocaesarea 155, inhabited by the murderers of the Jews. Moreover, these crazy and senseless people, like hell, were not satisfied with the death of their brothers, but they dared to leave the memory of their cruelty everywhere on earth, as if they wanted to gain fame by their evil actions. Having deafened the royal ears with slander, they exiled the Antiochian clergy to Neocaesarea 156, which is near Pontus, when the latter, together with some valiant monks, decided to testify against their machinations - and these settlers, unable to bear the severity of the climate there, soon died there. Such and such things were done at that time! They are worthy of silence and oblivion and are conveyed in writing solely as a denunciation of those who direct their tongues against the only begotten. Infected with the plague of blasphemy, the Arians not only try to throw arrows at the Lord of all, but entered into an irreconcilable war with his pious servants. About the Saracen military leader Mavia 157 and about the ordination of the monk Moses. At that time, 158 the borders of the Roman Empire were devastated by the tribes of the Ishmaelites. They were led by Mavia, who, despite her gender, had the spirit of a man. After many battles, she made peace with the Romans and, illuminated by the light of the knowledge of God, asked to ordain a certain Moses, who lived on the border between Egypt and Palestine, as a bishop for her people. Having received this request, Valens ordered this divine man to be escorted to Alexandria and there to teach him the grace of the bishopric, because Alexandria was the closest city to that place. But when he arrived there and saw that Lucius was trying to lay his hand on him, he said: It will not happen that you lay your hand on me, for the Spirit will not come upon me at your calling. And Lucius asked: “On what is your guess expressed in these words based?” “This is not a guess,” he answered, “but clear knowledge, for you arm yourself with the apostolic dogmas and speak contrary to them: your blasphemous words correspond to your lawless deeds. What wicked person, judging by you, did not laugh at church clergy? What praiseworthy man has not been expelled by you? What barbaric ferocity is not hidden by your daily insolence?” And he said this to Lucius fearlessly. And this one listened to him with the ear of a murderer and longed for his death, only he was afraid that he would reignite the ceased war, so he ordered him to be escorted to the other bishops whom he demanded. With this wondrous faith, having received the grace of the bishopric, Moses came to those who asked him, and with the apostolic teaching, as well as with miracles, led them to the truth. So this is what insolence Lucius committed in Alexandria, and this is what God’s providence did then! 159 About the daring actions (of the Arians) in Constantinople. In Constantinople, the followers of Arius, having filled the ship with pious elders, launched it into the sea without ballast. Then, having put some of their like-minded people on another ship, they ordered them to set fire to the ship on which there were presbyters. When this was done, the swimmers, struggling with fire and sea, finally plunged into the depths and received the crown of martyrdom. Meanwhile, Valens, having lived for a very long time in Antioch, instilled in everyone - the Hellenes, the Jews, and others who, bearing the name of Christians, preached contrary to the teaching of the Gospel, a spirit of religious security. Those who were in error began (obviously) to perform pagan rites, and he again allowed to flourish that lie which, after Julian, had been exterminated by Jovian. The sacraments of Zeus and Dionysus and the orgy of Demeter were not celebrated in secret places, as happened during the reigns of the pious; on the contrary, (the pagans) ran wildly through the city square. The king was at enmity only against the followers of the apostolic teaching. First, he expelled them from the churches, while the all-praised Jovian gave them the newly built church; then, when they began to converge at the foot of the mountain to glorify the Lord with songs and feed on the words of Divine Scripture, enduring unfavorable changes in the weather - now rain, now snow, now cold, and sometimes intense heat - he did not allow them to enjoy this benefit, acquired with such difficulty, but sent soldiers and dispersed them. About how Flavian and Diodorus gathered the Orthodox Church in Antioch. But the pressure of the waves, as if in front of some strongholds, overwhelmed Flavian and Diodorus. While their shepherd Meletius was forced to live away from them, they themselves began to take care of the flock and opposed the wolves with their courage and wisdom, and had decent care for the sheep. Therefore, when they were driven away from the foot of the mountain, they began to graze sheep on the banks of the neighboring river, for they did not want, like the Babylonian captives, to hang up their harps 160, but they sang of the Creator and Benefactor in every place of His dominion 161. Well? The enemy did not tolerate the gathering of a council of pious shepherds who confessed the Lord in Christ. Therefore, the couple of these wonderful leaders began to gather their holy sheep on the military field and there showed them spiritual pasture. The wise and courageous Diodorus, like a clear and great river, brought drink to his flock and drowned the blasphemy of his opponents. He did not value the nobility of his family at all and willingly endured all the hardships for the sake of his faith. Likewise, the excellent husband Flavian was born of noble parents, but he considered nobility only to be pious. Like some head of the gymnasium, he anointed the great Diodorus for battle, as if he were a five-decorated ascetic, for at that time he himself did not preach in church meetings, but only enriched those who did so with instructions and thoughts from the Holy Scriptures - and they then threw arrows against Aryan blasphemy, which Flavian delivered to them from his mind, as if from some quiver. Disputing with heretics both in private homes and in public meetings, he easily broke their networks and proved that their revivals were a web. That Aphraates, whose life we ​​described in the “History of God-Lovers” 162, also labored with them. Preferring the salvation of the sheep to his silence, he left the hut of the ascetic and took upon himself the work of a shepherd. What wealth of virtue he has accumulated, I consider it unnecessary to say here, because I wrote about it in another work. Now I will tell only about one of his actions, the description of which is very appropriate in this story. On the northern side of the royal palaces (in Antioch) the Orontes River flows, and on the southern side a huge two-tier portico with high towers on both sides was built over the city wall. Between the royal palaces and the river there is a large road, which is entered by everyone coming from the city through the gate and heading to the country fields. It was along this road that the divine Aphraates walked to the military field - with the intention of fulfilling the task of proper care for the holy sheep. At this time, the king noticed him from the height of the royal portico and saw that he was dressed in a leather dress and, despite his old age, was walking hastily. Then someone said that this was Aphraates, to whose influence many citizens were subject, and the king asked a passerby: “Tell me, where are you going?”, and he very wisely and opportunely answered him: “I’m going to pray for your reign.” “But you should,” said the king, “stay at home and, according to monastic law, pray in solitude.” To which that divine man replied: “You, king, speak very well: this is what I should have done; So I did until now, while the Savior's sheep enjoyed the world. But when they are subjected to great confusion and when they are in grave danger of being carried away by animals, then it becomes necessary to use all means to save the herd. Tell me, king,” he continued, “if I were a girl and sitting in my mansion, but, taking care of the house, I suddenly saw that a flame appeared and my father’s house was on fire, tell me, what should I do then? Should I sit in the room, not paying attention to the fact that the house is burning, and wait for the flames to rush towards me? Or leave your mansion, run up and down, carry water and light the fire? Obviously, this is the latter, you say, because this is typical for a shrewd and prudent girl to act. Now, king, I am doing the same thing. You threw a flame into our father’s house, and we are running everywhere, trying to put it out.” Thus spoke Aphraates, and the king went silently. But one of the royal bed servants, who boldly threatened the divine husband, suffered this. Since he was entrusted with the care of the royal bath, immediately after these words he left to prepare it for the king, but when he arrived at the bath, as if he had gone mad, he threw himself into the boiling, unbearably hot water and died. Meanwhile, the king sat and waited for it to be reported to him that he could go, and finally, after a considerable time had passed, he had to send others to notify him of the reason for the delay. Arriving at the bathhouse, the messengers examined everything and finally found him already dead and decomposed in the extremely hot water. When this reached the ears of the king, everyone understood the power of Aphraat’s prayer, although they did not retreat from wicked dogmas, but, like Pharaoh, they hardened their hearts. Having learned about this miracle of the saint, Valens continued to rage against piety. About Saint Julian and Anthony the Great. At this same time, that all-praised Julian 163, whom I have already mentioned before, was forced to leave the desert and come to Antioch. When people brought up in lies and very skillful in weaving slander - I mean like-minded Aryans - began to assert that that great man belonged to their society, then the lamps of truth, Flavian, Diodorus and Aphraates sent to the mentioned praised man another ascetic of virtue, the reasonable Acacius 164, who later ruled the Beria church with the greatest wisdom, and begged him to take pity on countless people, to expose the lies of opponents, and at the same time to establish the truth. How many times (on this occasion) he came and left again, and how many miracles he performed in the great city itself, all this is described by us in “History of God-Lovers” where those who want to know more about this can easily read. And that he attracted the entire population of the city to our meeting, I think no one who studies human nature doubts, because in general the wondrous attracts everyone to itself. The very enemies of truth testify to his great miracles. Anthony the Great did the same in Alexandria long before, during the time of Constantius. Leaving the desert, he walked around that entire city and impressed upon everyone that Athanasius was a preacher of the apostolic teaching, and the followers of Arius were opponents of the truth. This is how those divine men knew what to do at what time, when to indulge in solitude, and when to prefer cities to deserts. Which other monks beamed at the same time. At the same time, there were others who shone with the rays of monastic wisdom. In the desert of Chalcis, Avit, Marcian, Abraham, and with them countless others labored, and all of them, in a passionate body, tried to lead a dispassionate life 166 . Within Apamea, Agapit, Simeon, Paul and others stood at the height of wisdom. On the borders of Zeugma, Publius and Paul were famous, and near Cyresta 168 - the all-praised Akepsima, who lived in a cramped cell for sixty years, neither seen nor heard by anyone. The wondrous Zeugmatius, even being deprived of his sight, went everywhere and strengthened the sheep, fighting with the wolves, for which they burned his ascetic hut. However, Trajan, a true Christian military leader, built him a new one and provided other benefits. Within the boundaries of Antioch, Marian, Eusebius, Ammianus, Palladius, Simeon, Abraham, and, besides these, others lived in the desert, preserving the image of God uncorrupted. We have already described the lives of both these and those. The mountain belonging to the great city (Antioch) was also decorated with similar flowers. Shining on it were Peter of Galatia and his namesake of Egypt, also Romanus, Severus, Zenon, Moses, Malchus and very many others, unknown to many, but known by God 169 . About Didymus of Alexandria and Ephraim of Syria. At the same time, they shone: in Edessa the wondrous Ephraim, and in Alexandria Didim 170 - both expounding dogmas against the enemies of the truth. The latter scattered the rays of the grace of the Holy Spirit, using the Syrian language. Although he did not study Greek at all, he nevertheless exposed the intricate errors of the Greeks and exposed the weakness of all heretical evils. Since Armonius 171, the son of Bardesan, long ago composed some songs and through the combination of wickedness with their pleasant melody, giving pleasure to the listeners, led them to destruction, then Ephraim, borrowing from them the harmony of the melody, added his piety to it and thereby provided the listeners with both pleasant and useful healing. Even today, these songs make holidays in honor of martyrs more solemn. And Didymus, who lost the sense of sight in childhood, nevertheless knew poetry and rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry and astronomy, Aristotle’s syllogistics and Plato’s eloquence - and he studied all these sciences with one ear, not as sources of truth, but as a weapon that truth can use against lies. He also studied the Divine Scripture, studied not just the words, but also its meaning. So these men shone then in places of achievement and in refuges of virtue. What were the famous bishops in Pontus and Asia at that time? Between the bishops then two Gregory shone: one of Nazianzu, and the other of Nyssa, one was a brother, and the other was a cohabitant and collaborator of Basil the Great 172 . They were distinguished by their exploits for piety in Cappadocia, and Peter labored with them, born of the same parents as Basil and Gregory, but who did not receive external education with them, although he shone with the rays of (Christian) life. At the same time, they valiantly fought for the faith of their ancestors and repelled hostile attacks - in Pisidia Optimus 173, in Lycaonia Amphilochius, and in the West they overthrew enemies from afar - the Roman primate Damasus and Ambrose, who ruled the Mediolan church. Together with them, those who were forced to live in distant lands labored, wrote messages and with them, as much as they affirmed their own, they struck down their opponents, for the Provider of all then gave helmsmen equivalent to the ferocity of the storm, revealed valiant military leaders who could withstand the fury of enemies, and sent saving medicine in accordance with the difficulties of the time. However, the philanthropic God then honored the church with more than just this providence. He vouchsafed them with his other mercy. About what Valens wrote to the great Valentinian about the war and what the latter answered him. Having aroused the Gothic people to war, (God) drew the one who knew how to fight only the pious to the Bosporus. Realizing then his weakness, this vain man sent a message to his brother and asked him for troops. But he answered him that it was unfair to help a person who is at war with God, and that, on the contrary, his insolence should be limited. Such an answer filled this unfortunate man with the greatest sorrow, however, he did not abandon his insolence, but continued to fight against the truth 174. About the piety of Prince Terence. At that time, Terence returned from Armenia and brought the spoils of victory. Terence was an excellent military leader and adorned with piety. Valens ordered him to ask for a reward, and he announced such a request as was fitting for a man imbued with piety: he did not ask for gold, nor silver, nor land, nor power, nor a house, but begged to give one church to those who endured so many dangers for the apostolic teaching. Having received such a request and learned its contents, the king indignantly tore it up and ordered to ask for something else. But Terence, having collected the pieces of the request, said: “I have already received, king, and have a reward, I will not ask for another. The judge of all is the judge of my intention.” About the courage of the commander Trajan. Valens crossed the Bosporus and arrived in Thrace, but first stopped for a very long time in Constantinople and prepared there for war. He sent his commander Trajan with an army against the barbarians. When this one returned, having suffered defeat, Valens strongly reproached him, reproaching him for weakness and cowardice. But Trajan, with the courage befitting a noble man, answered: “It was not me, king, who were defeated; you yourself are missing out on victory by fighting with God and yielding His help to the barbarians. Seeing your enmity against himself, God joins them, and victory follows God everywhere and goes to those whom he leads. “Don’t you know,” he continued, “whom you drove out of the churches, and to whom you gave them?” That this was exactly the case was confirmed by Arirfey and Victor (who were also generals) and asked the king not to be angry at the reproaches, which have truth. About the Constantinople monk Isaac 175. They say that Isaac, who had a monastic cell there, saw the king passing with his army and exclaimed to him: “Where are you going, king, fighting against God and not using His help? After all, it was He who stirred up the barbarians against you - because you sharpened many tongues into blasphemy, and drove out those who glorify God from the holy churches. Stop fighting against Him - and He will leave this war; return excellent shepherds to the flock - and you will easily gain victory. If you undertake a war without doing any of this, then you will learn from experience how disastrous it is to fight against the pricks, because you yourself will not return, and you will lose your army.” But the irritated king told him: “I’ll turn around and kill you, you’ll answer to me for false predictions.” And he, not at all afraid of the threat, cried out: “Kill if the falsity of my words is revealed.” About the courage of the Scythian bishop Vretanion. And Vretanion 176, shining with every virtue, and ruling the cities of all Scythia with the power of an archpastor, inflamed his spirit with jealousy and denounced Valens for the distortion of dogmas and for the iniquities regarding the saints. He, with the divine David, cried out: “Your words in your testimonies are before kings and not ashamed” (Ps 119.46). About Valens's campaign against the Goths and how he was punished for his wickedness. Disregarding the advice of all these excellent men, Valens sent an army into battle, and he himself, remaining in one village, expected victory. But the warriors, unable to bear the pressure of the barbarians, fled and, pursued, were killed. Some fled hastily, while others pursued with all their might. When the barbarians reached the village where Valens, having heard about the defeat, tried to hide, they set fire and, together with the village, burned the very opponent of piety. He received such and such a punishment for his atrocities in this life 177. Where did the Goths get the Arian error from? 178. I think it is worth the trouble to show those who do not know how the barbarians became infected with the disease of Arianism. When the Goths crossed the Ister and made peace with Valens, the then hated Eudoxius inspired the king to convince them to enter into communication with him; for this people had long been illuminated by the rays of the knowledge of God and were brought up in their apostolic dogmas. The same way of thinking, he said, will make the world more durable. Having praised this intention, Valens suggested that the leaders were ready to agree with him in dogmas, but they said that they would not dare to abandon the teachings of their ancestors. At that time they had a bishop, Ulfilas, whom they had great faith in, and his words were considered inviolable laws. Having softened him with convictions and persuaded him with money, Eudoxius disposed him to give the thoughts of the barbarians such a direction that they would enter into communication with the king. Convincing Ulfila, he said that the enmity flared up because of ambition, and there was no difference in dogmas. That is why the Goths still say that the Father is greater than the Son, however, they do not agree to call the Son a creature, although they are in communion with those who call Him that. In general, they did not completely abandon the teachings of their ancestors, for Ulfilas, convincing them to enter into communication with Eudoxius and Valens, said that there was no difference in dogmas, but that the division was caused by empty strife. Jovian was born in 330 (332?) and reigned from June 363 to February 364. In Christian literature he was sometimes criticized for his immoral behavior. This phrase later disappeared from some manuscripts of Athanasius's work because his wishes for longevity were not realized. “For whoever thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, deceives himself” (Gal. 6.3). The Trinity in this formulation first appears in Theophilus of Antioch and Tertullian (“On Chastity,” 21). According to Ammianus Marcellinus (XXV. 10, 12. 13), before going to bed, a brazier was placed in his room to heat the air. In the morning he was found dead in his bed. This happened in February 364. Illyricum was then divided into eastern and western. The first included Dacia, Moesia, Macedonia, Thrace; in the second - Dalmatia, Pannonia, Noricum and Savia. The exact time of the cathedral has not been established. They are called 367, 373 and 375. The last date is most likely. Gratian is the eldest son of Valentinian I, b. in 359, August from 367. He succeeded his father in 375, and Valens in 378. Killed in 383. That's what it was called in the 4th century. a province that occupied part of the territory of Bithynia and Pamphylia. The Gospel of Matthew does not say that Pilate turned to the east. Perhaps this is a transfer of early Christian practice to the actions of the procurator. See: Clement of Alexandria. Stromata, VII. 7. Most likely, all these people were envoys of the Illyrian Council, sent by it to the emperor with a message about the resolutions of the council. At this point we first encounter what representatives of the Nicene wing (and the author himself) talk about hypostasis as a definition for each member of the Trinity individually. For a long time the Nicene party avoided using the term "hypostasis", as it was used by the Arians, and replaced it with the word "person". Afanasy did this all the time. But by 360, representatives of this movement began to refuse to use this term, declaring that such a way of expression leads to Sabellianism. The first third-party description of the teachings of Manes (Mani) is contained in the “Ecclesiastical History” of Eusebius of Caesarea (VII. 31). The founder of this doctrine (years of life 216–277) adhered to the dualistic principle: Mani believed that evil is associated with matter, good – with light and spirit. World history is the history of the struggle between light and darkness, God and the devil. For the same reason, man is dual. Obadiah himself was the founder of a unique anthropomorphic concept of God. "Messalians" means "people who pray." Meletina is the metropolis of M. Armenia. Archbishop Iconium, friend of Basil the Great. Genus. in 344, died after 400. See II. 10; IV. 22. Was not consecrated bishop until 381. Valens was baptized in 368. Valens's wife's name was Albia Dominica. Pelagius was exiled to Arabia in 367. Eusebius of Samosata was a friend of Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzus. See also V.4 Zeugma was located on the right bank of the Euphrates opposite ancient Apamea. See also the Epistle to Titus (Titus 3.1). A small island off the Phoenician coast. Opposite it on the mainland was the city of Antharad. The city was located on the right bank of the Nile. Eulogius was in Antioch in 379, and in Constantinople in 381. Valens' son was named Galatus. This is probably the same Demosthenes who later became vicar of Prov. Pontus, after some time joining the Semi-Arians. Athanasius died at home on Thursday, May 2, 373. He held the post of Bishop of Alexandria for almost 46 years. This was the same church in which Athanasius hid in 356. Heliopolis was located in Coelesyria at the source of the Orontes. Jer 2.12: “Marvel at this, O heavens, and tremble and be appalled, says the Lord.” Isaiah 1.2: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth.” Prikonn is an island in the Sea of ​​Marmara; Fennes is a town in Arabia. The insignificant town was turned by Herodes Antipas into the capital of Galilee. In Neokesarea (now Nixar), meetings of two councils were held - in 315 and in 350. At the latter, Eustathius of Sebaste was condemned. About Mavia see: Soz. IV. 38; Abbr. IV. 36. Lucius was expelled from Alexandria with the death of Valens in 378. Ps 136.2: “We hung our harps on the willow trees in the midst of it.” Psalm 103.22: “Bless the Lord, all His works, in all the places of His dominion.” Julian Savva, an ascetic who lived in Ozroen, south of Carr. This Acacius was first a monk, then an ambassador from the Syrian churches in Rome, and then (in 378) bishop of Beroe (Aleppo). In 381 he was in Constantinople. Known for his opposition to John Chrysostom. St. Anthony, one of the founders of Eastern asceticism (Athanasius calls him “the founder of asceticism”), was born in 250 in upper Egypt. In 335, he came to Alexandria with the goal of opposing Arianism, as reported by Theodoret. After his death, Athanasius wrote the life of Anthony the Great. This refers to the Syrian hermits (this is not Macedonian Chalkidiki). Marcian was born in the same place as Theodoret - in Cyrus, and died in 385. Abraham was engaged in missionary activity for some time, and later became the bishop of the city of Carra. Agapit, ep. Apamean, friend and student of Marcian. Simeon also studied with Marcian; adhered to ascetic principles for 50 years. The biographies of all these hermits are contained in Theodoret’s History of the God-Lovers. Didymus of Alexandria (309–399), lost his sight at the age of four. Subsequently, thanks to his knowledge, Athanasius was appointed to the post of head of the catechetical school in Alexandria. Bl. Jerome called him his teacher. Armonius wrote his songs in Syriac and Greek at the end of the 2nd century. Bardesan - the largest representative of Syrian Gnosticism, was born in 155. Gregory of Nazianzus (from Nazianzus in Cappadocia) was the bishop of Sasima and Constantinople. Upon returning home from the capital, until 383 he was the bishop of his hometown. He received another nickname, Theologian, for his work “Five Words on Theology.” Died on January 25, 389. Gregory of Nyssa, the younger brother of Basil the Great, was born in 335. He served as bishop of Nyssa from 372 to 381. The year of death is unknown, the last mention dates back to 394. Peter was the youngest child in the family. Bishop of Antioch in Pisidia, participated in the work of the Second Ecumenical Council. When the Goths crossed the Danube, Valentinian was already dead. We should be talking about Gratian. This is probably Isaac, who opposed John Chrysostom. Vretanion (Bretanion) was the head of all churches in the province of Scythia Minor (the mouth of the Danube), although he held the rank of bishop. According to established tradition, the bishop of the city of Toma, the center of the province, was also not only the head of the entire church, but also the only representative from it at the Ecumenical Councils. Vretanion's denunciations date back to 369 (372?), when Valens came to Tomy, wanting to persuade him to Arianism and cooperation with the authorities. Valens died on August 9, 378 at the Battle of Adrianople. Christian authors viewed his death as a well-deserved punishment: having converted the Goths to Arianism and thereby dooming them to eternal torment in hellfire, he himself was burned by them. The Goths first encountered Christianity in the Danube region in the middle of the 3rd century. Ulfilas, the first Gothic bishop, translated the Bible into Gothic (fragments of this translation have survived). For the Goths, Arianism was much clearer than the Nicene symbol, because it, in essence, resembled the usual hierarchy (triad) of supreme deities. You might be interested in: