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DURING this period, Athanasius was obliged to remain in
concealment, and George returned to Alexandria, and commenced a
cruel persecution against the pagans, and against the Christians who
differed from him in opinion. He compelled both parties to offer
worship in the mode he indicated, and where opposition was made, he
enforced obedience by compulsion. He was hated by the rulers because
he scorned them and was giving orders to the officers; and the
multitude detested him on account of his tyranny, for his power was
greater than all the rest. The pagans regarded him with even greater
aversion than the Christians, because he prohibited them from offering
sacrifices, and from celebrating their ancestral festivals; and
because he had on one occasion, introduced the governor of Egypt and
armed soldiery into the city, and despoiled their images, votives and
temple ornaments. This was, in fact, the cause of his death, on
which I will dwell.
On the deposition of Cyril, Erennius obtained the church of
Jerusalem; he was succeeded by Heraclius, and to Heraclius
succeeded Hilarius; for we have gathered from tradition that in that
period these persons administered the church there, until the reign of
Theodosius, when Cyril was once more restored to his own see.
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