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On the death at Constantinople of Nectarius, bishop of that see,
Arcadius, who had succeeded to the Eastern empire, summoned John,
the great luminary of the world. He had heard that he was numbered in
the ranks of the presbyterate, and now issued orders to the assembled
bishops to confer on him divine grace, and appoint him shepherd of that
mighty city.
This fact is alone sufficient to show the emperor's care for divine
things. At the same time the see of Antioch was held by Flavianus,
and that of Laodicea by Elpidius, who had formerly been the comrade
of the great Meletius, and had received the impress of his life and
conversation more plainly than wax takes the impression of a seal ring.
He succeeded the great Pelagius; and the divine Marcellus was
followed by the illustrions Agapetus whom I have already described as
conspicuous for high ascetic virtue. In the time of the tempest of
heresy, of Selencia ad Taurum, Maximus, the companion of the great
John, was bishop, and of Mopsuestia Theodorus, both illustrious
teachers. Conspicuous, too, in wisdom and character was the holy
Acacius, bishop of Beroea.
Leontius, a shining example of many virtues, tended the flock of the
Galatians.
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