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ABOUT this period, Apolinarius openly devised a heresy, to which
his name has since been given. He induced many persons to secede from
the Church, and formed separate assemblies. Vitalius, a presbyter
of Antioch and one of the priests of Meletius, concurred with him in
the confirmation of his peculiar opinion. In other respects,
Vitalius was conspicuous in life and conduct, and was zealous in
watching over those committed to his pastoral superintendence; hence he
was greatly revered by the people. He seceded from communion with
Meletius, joined Apolinarius and presided over those at Antioch who
had embraced the same opinions; by the sanctity of his life he
attracted a great number of followers, who are still called Vitalians
by the citizens of Antioch It is said he was led to secede from the
Church from resentment at the contempt that was manifested towards him
by Flavian, then one of his fellow-presbyters, but who was
afterwards raised to the bishopric of Antioch. Flavian having
prevented him from holding his customary interview with the bishop, he
fancied himself despised and entered into communion with Apolinarius,
and held him as his friend. From that period the members of this sect
have formed separate churches in various cities, under their own
bishops, and have established laws differing from those of the
Catholic Church. Besides the customary sacred order, they sang some
metrical songs composed by Apolinarius; for, in addition to his other
learning he was a poet, and skilled in a great variety of meters, and
by their sweetness he induced many to cleave to him. Men sang his
strains at convivial meetings and at their daily labor, and women sang
them while engaged at the loom. But, whether his tender poems were
adapted for holidays, festivals, or other occasions, they were all
alike to the praise and glory of God. Damasus, bishop of Rome, and
Peter, bishop of Alexandria, were the firsts to learn that the
heresy was creeping among the people, and at a council held at Rome
they voted it to be foreign to the Catholic Church. It is said that
it was as much from narrowness of mind as from any other cause that
Apolinarius made an innovation in doctrine. For when Athanasius,
who administered the church of Alexandria, was on his road back to
Egypt from the place whither he had been banished by Constantine, he
had to pass through Laodicea, and that while in that city he formed an
intimacy with Apolinarius, which terminated in the strictest
friendship. As, however, the heterodox considered it disgraceful to
hold communion with Athanasius, George, the bishop of the Arians in
that city, ejected Apolinarius in a very insulting manner from the
church, under the plea that he had received Athanasius contrary to the
canons and holy laws. The bishop did not rest here, but reproached
him with crimes which he had committed and repented of
at a remote period. For when Theodotus, the
predecessor of George, regulated the church of Laodicea,
Epiphanius, the sophist, recited a hymn which he had composed in
honor of Dionysus. Apolinarius, who was then a youth and a pupil of
Epiphanius, went to hear the recitation, accompanied by his father,
whose name also was Apolinarius, and who was a noted grammarian.
After the exordium, Epiphanius, according to the custom always
observed at the public recitation of hymns, directed the uninitiated
and the profane to go out of doors. But neither Apolinarius the
younger nor the eider, nor, indeed, any of the Christians who were
present, left the audience. When Theodotus, the bishop, heard that
they had been present during the recitation, he was exceedingly
displeased; he, however, pardoned the laymen who had committed this
error, after they had received a moderate reproof. With respect to
Apolinarius, father and son, he convicted them both publicly of their
sin, and ejected them from the church; for they both belonged to the
clergy, the father being a presbyter, and the son a reader of the
Holy Scriptures. After some time had elapsed, and when the father
and son had evinced by tears and fasting a degree of repentance adequate
to their transgression, Theodotus restored them to their offices in
the church. When George received the same bishopric, he
excommunicated Apolinarius, and treated him as alien to the Church on
account of his having, as before stated, received Athanasius into
communion. It is said that Apolinarius besought him repeatedly to
restore him to communion, but that he was inexorable. Apolinarius,
overcome with grief, disturbed the Church, and by innovations in
doctrines introduced the aforesaid heresy; and he thought by means of
his eloquence to revenge himself on his enemy by proving that George
had deposed one who was more deeply acquainted with the Sacred
Scriptures than himself. Thus do the private animosities of the
clergy from time to time greatly injure the Church, and divide
religion into many heresies. And this is a proof; for had George,
like Theodotus, received Apolinarius on his repentance into
communion, I believe that we should never have heard of the heresy
that bears his name. Men are prone, when loaded with opprobrium and
contempt, to resort to rivalries and innovations; whereas when treated
with justice, they become moderate, and remain in the same position.
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