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EUSEBIUS, surnamed Emesenus, likewise attended the council.
He sprang from a noble family of Edessa, a city of Osroenae.
According to the custom of his country, he had from his youth
upwards, learned the Holy Word, and was afterwards made acquainted
with the learning of the Greeks, by the teachers who then frequented
his native city. He subsequently acquired a more intimate knowledge of
sacred literature under the guidance of Eusebius Pamphilus and
Patrophilus, the president of Scythopolis. He went to Antioch at
the time that Eustathius was deposed on the accusation of Cyrus, and
lived with Euphronius, his successor, on terms of intimacy. He fled
to escape being invested with the priestly dignity, went to Alexandria
and frequented the schools of the philosophers. After acquainting
himself with their mode of discipline, he returned to Antioch and
dwelt with Placetus, the successor of Euphronius. During the time
that the council was held in that city, Eusebius, bishop of
Constantinople, entreated him to accept the see of Alexandria for it
was thought that, by his great reputation for sanctity and consummate
eloquence, he would easily supplant Athanasius in the esteem of the
Egyptians. He, however, refused the ordination, on the plea that
he could otherwise only incur the ready hatred of the Alexandrians,
who would have no other bishop but Athanasius. Gregory was,
therefore, appointed to the church of Alexandria, and Eusebius to
that of Emesa.
There he suffered from a sedition; for the people accused him of
practicing that variety of astronomy which is called astrological, and
being obliged to seek safety by flight, he repaired to Laodicea, and
dwelt with George, bishop of that city, who was his particular
friend. He afterwards accompanied this bishop to Antioch, and
obtained permission from the bishops Placetus and Narcissus to return
to Emesa. He was much esteemed by the emperor Constantius, and
attended him in his military expedition against the Persians. It is
said that God wrought miracles through his instrumentality, as is
testified by George of Laodicea, who has related these and other
incidents about him.
But although he was endowed with so many exalted qualities, he could
not escape the jealousy of those who are irritated by witnessing the
virtues of others. He endured the censure of having embraced the
doctrines of Sabellius. At the present time, however, he voted with
the bishops who had been convened at Antioch. It is said that
Maximus, bishop of Jerusalem, purposely, kept aloof from this
council, because he repented having unawares consented to the
deposition of Athanasius. The manager of the Roman see, nor any
representative from the east of Italy, nor from the parts beyond Rome
were present at Antioch. At the same period of time, the Franks
devastated Western Gaul; and the provinces of the East, and more
particularly Antioch after the Synod, were visited by tremendous
earthquakes. After the Synod, Gregory repaired to Alexandria with
a large body of soldiers, who were enjoined to provide an undisturbed
and safe entrance into the city; the Arians also, who were anxious
for the expulsion of Athanasius, sided with him. Athanasius,
fearful lest the people should be exposed to sufferings on his account,
assembled them by night in the church, and when the soldiers came to
take possession of the church, prayers having been concluded, he first
ordered a psalm to be sung. During the chanting of this psalm the
soldiers remained without and quietly awaited its conclusion, and in
the meantime Athanasius passed under the singers and secretly made his
escape, and fled to Rome. In this manner Gregory possessed himself
of the see of Alexandria. The indignation of the people was aroused,
and they burnt the church which bore the name of Dionysius, one of
their former bishops.
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