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BUT Eustathius bishop of Sebastia in Armenia was not even
permitted to make his defense; because he had been long before deposed
by Eulalius, his own father, who was bishop of Caeasarea in
Cappadocia, for dressing in a style unbecoming the sacerdotal office.
Let it be noted that Meletius was appointed his successor, of whom we
shall hereafter speak. Eustathius indeed was subsequently condemned by
a Synod convened on his account at Gangra in Paphlagonia; he
having, after his deposition by the council at Caesarea, done many
things repugnant to the ecclesiastical canons. For he had forbidden
marriage,' and maintained that meats were to be abstained from: he
even separated many from their wives, and persuaded those who disliked
to assemble in the churches to commune at home. Under the pretext of
piety, he also seduced servants from their masters. He himself wore
the habit of a philosopher, and induced his followers to adopt a new
and extraordinary garb, directing that the hair of women should be
cropped. He permitted the prescribed fasts to be neglected, but
recommended fasting on Sundays. In short, he forbade prayers to be
offered in the houses of married persons: and declared that both the
benediction and the communion of a presbyter who continued to live with
a wife whom he might have lawfully married, while still a layman,
ought to be shunned as an abomination. For doing and teaching these
things and many others of a similar nature, a Synod convened, as we
have said, at Gangra (30 in Paphlagonia deposed him, and
anathematized his opinions. This, however, was done afterwards.
But on Macedonius being ejected from the see of Constantinople,
Eudoxius, who now looked upon the see of Antioch as secondary in
importance, was promoted to the vacant bishopric; being consecrated by
the Acacians, who in this instance cared not to consider that it was
inconsistent with their former proceedings. For they who had deposed
Dracontius because of his translation from Galatia to Pergamos, were
clearly acting in contrariety to their own principles and decisions, in
ordaining Eudoxius, who then made a second change. After this they
sent their own exposition of the faith, in its corrected and
supplementary form, to Arminium, ordering that all those who refused
to sign it should be exiled on the authority of the emperor's edict.
They also informed such other prelates in the East as coincided with
them in opinion of what they had done; and more especially Patrophilus
bishop of Scythopolis, who on leaving Seleucia had proceeded directly
to his own city. Eudoxius having been constituted bishop of the
imperial city, the great church named Sophia was at that time
consecrated, in the tenth consulate of Constantius, and the third of
Julian Caesar, on the 15th day of February. It was while
Eudoxius occupied this see, that he first uttered that sentence which
is still everywhere current, 'The Father is impious, the Son is
pious.' When the people seemed startled by this expression, and a
disturbance began to be made,' Be not troubled,' said he, 'on
account of what I have just said: for the Father is impious, because
he worships no person; but the Son is pious because he worships the
Father.' Eudoxius having said this, the tumult was appeased, and
great laughter was excited in the church: and this saying of his
continues to be a jest, even in the present day. The heresiarchs
indeed frequently devised such subtle phrases as these, and by them
rent the church asunder. Thus was the Synod at Constantinople
terminated.
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