|
Not long after this, the monks of the desert, together with
Dioscorus and his brothers, came to Constantinople. There was also
with them Isidore, formerly the most intimate friend of the bishop
Theophilus, but then become his bitterest enemy, on account of the
following circumstance: A certain man named Peter was at that time
the archpresbyter of the Alexandrian church; Theophilus being
irritated against this person, determined to eject him from the
church; and as the ground of expulsion, he brought the charge against
him of having admitted to a participation of the sacred mysteries, a
woman of the Manichaean sect, without first compelling her to renounce
her Manichaean heresy. As Peter in his defence declared, that not
only had the errors of this woman been previously abjured, but that
Theophilus himself had sanctioned her admission to the eucharist,
Theophilus became indignant, as if he had been grievously
calumniated; whereupon he affirmed that he was altogether unacquainted
with the circumstance. Peter therefore summoned Isidore to bear
witness to the bishop's knowledge of the facts concerning the woman.
Now Isidore happened to be then at Rome, on a mission from
Theophilus to Damasus the prelate of the imperial city, for the
purpose of affecting a reconciliation between him and Flavian bishop of
Antioch; for the adherents of Meletius had separated from Flavian in
detestation of his perjury, as we have already observed. When
Isidore had returned from Rome, and was cited as a witness by
Peter, he deposed that the woman was received by consent of the
bishop; and that he himself had administered the sacrament to her.
Upon this Theophilus became enraged and in anger ejected them both.
This furnished the reason for Isidore's going to Constantinople with
Dioscorus and his brethren, in order to submit to the cognizance of
the emperor, and John the bishop, the injustice and violence with
which Theophilus had treated them. John, on being informed of the
facts, gave the men an honorable reception, and did not exclude them
from communion at prayers, but postponed their communion of the sacred
mysteries, until their affairs should be examined into. Whilst
matters were in this posture, a false report was brought to
Theophilus' ears, that John had both admitted them to a
participation of the mysteries, and was also ready to give them
assistance; wherefore he resolved not only to be revenged on Isidore
and Dioscorus, but also if possible to cast John out of his episcopal
chair. With this design he wrote to all the bishops of the various
cities, and concealing his real motive, ostensibly condemned therein
the books of Origen merely: which Athanasius, his predecessor, had
used in confirmation of his own faith, frequently appealing to the
testimony and authority of Origen's writings, in his orations against
the Arians.
|
|