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ARSACIUS, brother of Nectarius, who had administered the
bishopric before John, was, not long afterwards, ordained as bishop
of Constantinople. He was of a very mild disposition, and possessed
of great piety; but the reputation he had acquired as a presbyter was
diminished by the conduct of some of the clergy to whom he delegated his
power, and who did what they pleased in his name; for their evil deeds
were imputed to him. Nothing, however, operated so much to his
disadvantage as the persecution that was carried on against the
followers of John. They refused to hold communion, or even to join
in prayer with him, because the enemies of John were associated with
him; and as they persisted, as we have before stated, in holding a
church in the further parts of the city, he complained to the emperor
of their conduct. The tribune was commanded to attack them with a body
of soldiers, and by means of clubs and stones he soon dispersed them.
The most distinguished among them in point of rank, and those who were
most zealous in their adherence to John, were cast into prison. The
soldiers as is usual on such occasions, went beyond their orders, and
forcibly stripped the women of their ornaments, and carried off as
booty their chains, their golden girdles, necklaces, and their
collars of rings; they pulled off the lobes of the ear with the
earrings. Although the whole city was thus filled with trouble and
lamentation, the affection of the people for John still remained the
same, and they refrained from appearing in public. Many of them
absented themselves from the market place and public baths, while
others, not considering themselves safe in their own houses, fled the
city.
Among the zealous men and excellent women who adopted this latter
measure was Nicarete, a lady of Bithynia. She belonged to a noted
family of the nobility, and was celebrated on account of her perpetual
virginity and her virtuous life. She was the most modest of all the
zealous women that we have ever known, and was well ordered in manner
and speech and in behavior, and throughout her life she invariably
preferred the service of God to all earthly considerations. She
showed herself capable of enduring with courage and thought the sudden
reversals of adverse affairs; she saw herself unjustly despoiled of the
greater part of her ample patrimony without manifesting any
indignation, and managed the little that remained to her with so much
economy, that although she was advanced in age, she contrived to
supply all the wants of her household, and to contribute largely to
others. Since she loved a humane spirit, she also prepared a variety
of remedies for the needs of the sick poor, and she frequently
succeeded in curing patients who had derived no benefit from the skill
of the customary physicians. With a devout strength which assisted her
in reaching the best results, she closed her lips. To sum up all in a
few words, we have never known a devoted woman endowed with such
manners, gravity, and every other virtue. Although she was so
extraordinary, she concealed the greater part of her nature and deeds;
for by modesty of character and philosophy she was always studious of
concealment. She would not accept of the office of deaconess, nor of
instructress of the virgins consecrated to the service of the Church,
because she accounted herself unworthy, although the honor was
frequently pressed upon her by John.
After the popular insurrection had been quelled, the prefect of the
city appeared in public, as if to inquire into the cause of the
conflagration, and the burning of the council-hall, and punished many
severely; but being a pagan, he ridiculed the calamities of the
Church, and delighted in its misfortunes.
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