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Two hundred and fifty bishops assembled at Sardica , as is proved by
ancient records. The great Athanasius, Asclepas, bishop of Gaza,
already mentioned , and Marcellus , bishop of Ancyra, the
metropolis of Galatia, who also held this bishopric at the time of the
council of Nicaea, all repaired thither. The calumniators, and the
chiefs of the Arian faction, who had previously judged the cause of
Athanasius, also attended. But when they found that the members of
the synod were staunch in their adherence to sound doctrine, they would
not even enter the council, although they had been summoned to it, but
fled away, both accusers and judges. All these circumstances are far
more clearly explained in a letter drawn up by the council; and I
shall therefore now insert it. Synodical Letter from the Bishops
assembled at Sardica, addressed to the other Bishops.
"The holy council assembled at Sardica, from Rome, Spain,
Gaul, Italy, Campania, Calabria, Africa, Sardinia,
Pannonia, Moesia, Dacia, Dardania, Lesser Dacia, Macedonia,
Thessaly, Achaia, Epirus, Thrace, Rhodope, Asia, Caria,
Bithynia, the Hellespont, Phrygia, Pisidia, Cappadocia,
Pontus, the lesser Phrygia, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Lydia, the
Cyclades, Egypt, the Thebaid, Libya, Galatia, Palestine and
Arabia, to the bishops throughout the world, our fellow-ministers in
the catholic and apostolic Church, and our beloved brethren in the
Lord. Peace be unto you.
"The madness of the Arians has often led them to the perpetration of
violent atrocities against the servants of God who keep the true
faith; they introduce false doctrines themselves, and persecute those
who uphold orthodox principles. So violent were their attacks on the
faith, that they reached the ears of our most pious emperors. Through
the co-operation of the grace of God, the emperors have summoned us
from different provinces and cities to the holy council which they have
appointed to be held in the city of Sardica, in order that all
dissensions may be terminated, all evil doctrines expelled, and the
religion of Christ alone maintained amongst all people. Some bishops
from the east have attended the council at the solicitation of our most
religious emperors, principally on account of the reports circulated
against our beloved brethren and fellow-ministers, Athanasius,
bishop of Alexandria, Marcellus, bishop of Ancyra in Galatia, and
Asclepas, bishop of Gaza. Perhaps the calumnies of the Arians have
already reached you, and they have endeavoured thus to forestall the
council, and make you believe their groundless accusations of the
innocent, and prevent any suspicion being raised of the depraved heresy
which they uphold. But they have not long been permitted so to act.
The Lord is the Protector of the churches; for them and for us all
He suffered death, and opened for us the way to heaven.
"The adherents of Eusebius. Maris, Theodorus, Theognis,
Ursacius, Valens, Menophantus, and Stephanus, had already
written to Julius, the bishop of Rome, and our fellow-minister,
against our aforesaid fellow-ministers Athanasius, bishop of
Alexandria, Marcellus, bishop of Ancyra in Galatia, and
Asclepas, bishop of Gaza. Some bishops of the opposite party wrote
also to Julius, testifying to the innocence of Athanasius, and
proving that all that had been asserted by the followers of Eusebius
was nothing more than lies and slander. The refusal of the Arians to
obey the summons of our beloved brother and fellow-ruler, Julius,
and also the letter written by that bishop, clearly prove the falseness
of their accusation. For, had they believed that what they had done
and represented against our fellow-minister admitted of justification,
they would have gone to Rome. But their mode of procedure in this
great and holy council is a manifest proof of their fraud. Upon their
arrival at Sardica, they perceived that our brethren, Athanasius,
Marcellus, Asclepas, and others, were there also; they were
therefore afraid to come to the test, although they had been summoned,
not once or twice only, but repeatedly. There were they waited for by
the assembled bishops, particularly by the venerable Hosius, one
worthy of all honour and respect, on account of his advanced age, his
adherence to the faith, and his labours for the church. All urged
them to join the assembly and avail themselves of the opportunity of
proving, in the presence of their fellow-ministers, the truth of the
charges they had brought against them in their absence, both by word
and by letter. But they refused to obey the summons, as we have
already stated, and so by their excesses proved the falsity of their
statements, and all but proclaimed aloud the plot and schemes they had
formed. Men confident of the truth of their assertions are always
ready to stand to them openly. But as these accusers would not appear
to substantiate what they had advanced, any future allegations which
they may by their usual artifices bring against our fellow-ministers,
will only be regarded as proceeding from a desire of slandering them in
their absence, without the courage to confront them openly.
"They fled, beloved brethren, not only because their charges were
slander, but also because they saw men arrive with serious and manifold
accusations against themselves. Chains and fetters were produced.
Some were present whom they had exiled: others came forward as
representatives of those still kept in exile. There stood relations
and friends of men whom they had put to death. Most serious of all,
bishops also appeared, one of whom exhibited the irons and the chains
with which they had laden him. Others testified that death followed
their false charges. For their infatuation had led them so far as even
to attempt the life of a bishop; and he would have been killed had he
not escaped from their hands. Theodulus , our fellow-minister, of
blessed memory, passed hence with their calumny on his name; for,
through it, he had been condemned to death. Some showed the wounds
which had been inflicted on them by the sword; others deposed that they
had been exposed to the miseries of famine.
"All these depositions were made, not by a few obscure individuals,
but by whole churches; the presbyters of these churches giving evidence
that the persecutors had armed the military against them with swords,
and the common people with clubs; had employed judicial threats, and
produced spurious documents. The letters written by Theognis, for
the purpose of prejudicing the emperor against our fellow-ministers,
Athanasius, Marcellus, and Asclepas, were read and attested by
those who had formerly been the deacons of Theognis. It was also
proved that they had stripped virgins naked, had burnt churches, and
imprisoned our fellow-ministers, and all because of the infamous
heresy of the Ariomaniacs. For thus all who refused to make common
cause with them were treated.
"The consciousness of having committed all these crimes placed them in
great straits. Ashamed of their deeds, which could no longer be
concealed, they repaired to Sardica, thinking that their boldness in
venturing thither would remove all suspicion of their guilt. But when
they perceived the presence of those whom they had falsely accused, and
of those who had suffered from their cruelty; and that likewise several
had come with irrefragable accusations against them, they would not
enter the council. Our fellow-ministers, on the other hand,
Athanasius, Marcellus, and Asclepas, took every means to induce
them to attend, by tears, by urgency, by challenge, promising not
only to prove the falsity of their accusations, but also to show how
deeply they had injured their own churches. But they were so
overwhelmed by the consciousness of their own evil deeds, that they
took to flight, and by this flight clearly proved the falsity of their
accusations as well as their own guilt.
"But though their calumny and perfidy, which had indeed been apparent
from the beginning, were now clearly perceived, yet we determined to
examine the circumstances of the case according to the laws of truth,
lest they should, from their very flight, derive pretexts for renewed
acts of deceitfulness.
"Upon carrying this resolution into effect, we proved by their
actions that they were false accusers, and that they had formed plots
against our fellow-ministers. Arsenius, whom they declared had been
put to death by Athanasius, is still alive, and takes his place among
the living. This fact alone is sufficient to show that their other
allegations are false.
"Although they spread a report everywhere that a chalice had been
broken by Macarius, one of the presbyters of Athanasius, yet those
who came from Alexandria, from Mareotis, anti from other places,
testified that this was not the fact; and the bishops in Egypt wrote
to Julius, our fellow-minister, declaring that there was not the
least suspicion that such a deed had been done. The judicial facts
which the Arians assert they possess against Macarius have been all
drawn up by one party; and in these documents the depositions of pagans
and of catechumens were included. One of these catechumens, when
interrogated, replied that he was m the church on the entry of
Macarius. Another deposed that Ischyras, whom they had talked about
so much, was then lying ill in his cell. Hence it appears that the
mysteries could not have been celebrated at that time, as the
catechumens were present, and as Ischyras was absent; for he was at
that very time confined by illness. Ischyras, that wicked man who had
falsely affirmed that Athanasius had burnt some of the sacred books,
and had been convicted of the crime, now confessed that he was ill in
bed when Macarius arrived; hence the falsehood of his accusation was
clearly demonstrated. His calumny was, however, rewarded by his
party; they gave him the title of a bishop, although he was not yet
even a presbyter. For two presbyters came to the synod, who some time
back had been attached to Meletius, and were afterwards received back
by the blessed Alexander, bishop of Alexandria, and are now with
Athanasius, protesting that he had never been ordained a presbyter,
and that Meletius had never had any church, or employed any minister
in Mareotis. Yet, although he had never been ordained a presbyter,
they promote him to a bishopric, in order that his title may impose
upon those who hear his false accusations .
"The writings of our fellow-minister, Marcellus, were also read,
and plainly evinced the duplicity of the adherents of Eusebius; for
what Marcellus had simply suggested as a point of inquiry, they
accused him of professing as a point of faith. The statements which he
had made, both before and after the inquiry, were read, and his faith
was proved to be orthodox. He did not affirm, as they represented,
that the beginning of the Word of God was dated from His conception
by the holy Mary, or that His kingdom would have an end. On the
contrary, he wrote that His kingdom had had no beginning, and would
have no end. Asclepas, our fellow-minister, produced the reports
drawn up at Antioch in the presence of the accusers, and of
Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea, and proved his innocence by the
sentence of the bishops who had presided as judges.
"It was not then without cause, beloved brethren, that, although so
frequently summoned, they would not attend the council; it was not
without cause that they took to flight. The reproaches of conscience
constrained them to make their escape, and thus, at the same time, to
demonstrate the groundlessness of their calumnies, and the truth of
those accusations which were advanced and proved against them. Besides
all the other grounds of complaint, it may be added that all those who
had been accused of holding the Arian heresy, and had been ejected in
consequence, were not only received, but advanced to the highest
dignities by them. They raised deacons to the presbyterate, and
thence to the episcopate; and in all this they were actuated by no
other motive than the desire of propagating and diffusing their heresy,
and of corrupting the true faith.
"Next to Eusebius, the following are their principal leaders;
Theodorus, bishop of Heraclea, Narcissus, bishop of Neronias in
Cilicia, Stephanus, bishop of Antioch, Georgius , bishop of
Laodicea, Acacius , bishop of Caesarea in Palestine,
Menophantus, bishop of Ephesus in Asia, Ursacius, bishop of
Singidunum in Moesia, and Valens, bishop of Mursa in Pannonia.
These bishops forbade those who came with them from the east to attend
the holy council, or to unite with the Church of God. On their road
to Sardica they held private assemblies at different places, and
formed a com pact cemented by threats, that, when they arrived in
Sardica, they would not join the holy council, nor assist at its
deliberations; arranging that, as soon as they had arrived they should
present themselves for form's sake, and forthwith betake themselves to
flight. These facts were made known to us by our fellow-ministers,
Macarius of Palestine, and Asterius of Arabia, who came with them
to Sardica, but refused to share their unorthodoxy. These bishops
complained before the holy council of the violent treatment they had
received from them, and of the want of right principles evinced in all
their transactions. They added that there were many amongst them who
still held orthodox opinions, but that these were prevented from going
to the council; and that sometimes threats, sometimes promises, were
resorted to, in order to retain them in that party. For this reason
they were compelled to reside together in one house; and never
allowed, even for the shortest space of time, to be alone.
"It is not right to pass over in silence and without rebuke the
calumnies, the imprisonments, the murders, the stripes, the forged
letters, the indignities, the stripping naked of virgins, the
banishments, the destruction of churches, the acts of incendiarism,
the translation of bishops from small towns to large dioceses, and
above all, the ill-starred Arian heresy, raised by their means
against the true faith. For these causes, therefore, we declare the
innocence and purity of our beloved brethren and fellow-ministers,
Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, Marcellus, bishop of Ancyra in
Galatia, and Asclepas, bishop of Gaza, and of all the other
servants of God who are with them; and we have written to each of
their dioceses, in order that the people of each church may be made
acquainted with the innocence of their respective bishops, and that
they may recognise them alone and wait for their return. Men who have
come down on their churches like wolves, such as Gregorius in
Alexandria, Basilius in Ancyra, and Quintianus in Gaza, we
charge them not even to call bishops, nor yet Christians, nor to have
any communion with them, nor to receive any letters from them, nor to
write to them.
"Theodorus, bishop of Heraclea in Europe, Narcissus, bishop of
Neronias in Cilicia, Acacius, bishop of Caesarea in Palestine,
Stephanus, bishop of Antioch, Ursacius, bishop of Singidunum in
Moesia, Valens, bishop of Mursa in Pannonia, Menophantus,
bishop of Ephesus, and Georgius, bishop of Laodicea (for though
fear kept him from leaving the East, he has been deposed by the
blessed Alexander, bishop of Alexandria, and has imbibed the
infatuation of the Arians), have on account of their various crimes
been cast forth from their bishoprics by the unanimous decision of the
holy council. We have decreed that they are not only not to be
regarded as bishops, but to be refused communion with us. For those
who separate the Son from the substance and divinity of the Father,
and alienate the Word from the Father, ought to be separated from the
Catholic Church, and alienated from all who bear the name of
Christians. Let them then be anathema to you, and to all the
faithful, because they have corrupted the word of truth. For the
apostle's precept enjoins, if any one should bring to you another
gospel than that which ye have received, let him be accursed. Command
that no one hold communion with them; for light can have no fellowship
with darkness. Keep far off from them; for what concord has Christ
with Belial? Be careful, beloved brethren, that you neither write
to them nor receive their letters. Endeavour, beloved brethren and
fellow-ministers, as though present with us in spirit at the council,
to give your hearty consent to what is enacted, and affix to it your
written signature, for the sake of preserving unanimity of opinion
among all our fellow-ministers throughout the world
"We declare those men excommunicate from the Catholic Church who say
that Christ is God, but not the true God; that He is the Son,
but not the true Son; and that He is both begotten and made; for
such persons acknowledge that they understand by the term 'begotten,'
that which has been made; and because, although the Son of God
existed before all ages, they attribute to Him, who exists not in
time but before all time, a beginning and an end.
"Valens and Ursacius have, like two vipers brought forth by an asp,
proceeded from the Arian heresy. For they boastingly declare
themselves to be undoubted Christians, and yet affirm that the Word
and the Holy Ghost were both crucified and slain, and that they died
and rose again; and they pertinaciously maintain, like the heretics,
that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are of diverse and
distinct essences. We have been taught, and we hold the catholic and
apostolic tradition and faith and confession which teach, that the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost have one essence, which is
termed substance by the heretics. If it is asked, 'What is the
essence of the Son?' we confess, that it is that which is
acknowledged to be that of the Father alone; for the Father has never
been, nor could ever be, without the Son, nor the Son without the
Father. It is most absurd to affirm that the Father ever existed
without the Son, for that this could never be so has been testified by
the Son Himself, who said, 'I am in the Father, and the Father
in Me;' and 'I and My Father are one.' None of us denies that
He was begotten; but we say that He was begotten before all things,
whether visible or invisible; anti that He is the Creator of
archangels and angels, and of the world, and of the human race. It
is written, 'Wisdom which is the worker of all things taught me,'
and again, 'All things were made by Him.' "He could not have
existed always if He had had a beginning, for the everlasting Word
has no beginning, and God will never have an end. We do not say that
the Father is Son, nor that the Son is Father; but that the
Father is Father, and the Son of the Father Son. We confess that
the Son is Power of the Father. We confess that the Word is Word
of God the Father, and that beside Him there is no other. We
believe the Word to be the true God, and Wisdom and Power. We
affirm that He is truly the Son, yet not in the way in which others
are said to be sons: for they are either gods by reason of their
regeneration, or are called sons of God on account of their merit,
and not on account of their being of one essence, as is the case with
the Father and the Son. We confess an Only-begotten and a
Firstborn; but that the Word is only-begotten, who ever was and is
in the Father. We use the word firstborn with respect to His human
nature. But He is superior (to man) in the new creation (of the
Resurrection), inasmuch as He is the Firstborn from the dead.
"We confess that God is; we confess the divinity of the Father and
of the Son to be one. No one denies that the Father is greater than
the Son: not on account of another essence, nor yet on account of
their difference, but simply from the very name of the Father being
greater than that of the Son. The words uttered by our Lord, 'I
and My Father are one,' are by those men explained as referring to
the concord and harmony which prevail between the Father and the Son;
but this is a blasphemous and perverse interpretation. We, as
Catholics, unanimously condemned this foolish and lamentable opinion:
for just as mortal men on a difference having arisen between them
quarrel and afterwards are reconciled, so do such interpreters say that
disputes and dissension are liable to arise between God the Father
Almighty and His Son; a supposition which is altogether absurd and
untenable. But we believe and maintain that those holy words, 'l and
My Father are one,' point out the oneness of essence which is one
and the same in the Father and in the Son.
"We also believe that the Son reigns with the Father, that His
reign has neither beginning nor end, and that it is not bounded by
time, nor can ever cease: for that which always exists never begins to
be, and can never cease.
"We believe in and we receive the Holy Ghost the Comforter, whom
the Lord both promised and sent. We believe in It as sent.
"It was not the Holy Ghost who suffered, but the manhood with which
He clothed Himself; which He took from the Virgin Mary, which
being man was capable of suffering; for man is mortal, whereas God is
immortal. We believe that on the third day He rose, the man in
God, not God in the man; and that He brought as a gift to His
Father the manhood which He had delivered from sin and corruption.
"We believe that, at a meet and fixed time, He Himself will judge
all men and all their deeds.
"So great is the ignorance and mental darkness of those whom we have
mentioned, that they are unable to see the light of truth. They
cannot comprehend the meaning of the words: 'that they may be one in
us.' It is obvious why the word 'one' was used; it was because the
apostles received the Holy Spirit of God, and yet there were none
amongst them who were the Spirit, neither was there any one of them
who was Word, Wisdom, Power, or Only-begotten. 'As Thou,'
He said, 'and I are one, that they, may be one in us.' These
holy words, 'that they may be one in us,' are strictly accurate:
for the Lord did not say, 'one in the same way that I and the
Father are one,' but He said, 'that the disciples, being knit
together and united, may be one in faith and in confession, and so in
the grace and piety of God the Father, and by the indulgence and love
of our Lord Jesus Christ, may be able to become one.' "
From this letter may be learnt the duplicity of the calumniators, and
the injustice of the former judges, as well as the soundness of the
decrees. These holy fathers have taught us not only truths respecting
the Divine nature, but also the doctrine of the Incarnation.
Constans was much concerned on hearing of the easy temper of his
brother, and was highly incensed against those who had contrived this
plot and artfully taken advantage of it. He chose two of the bishops
who had attended the council of Sardica, and sent them with letters to
his brother; he also despatched Salianus, a military commander who
was celebrated for his piety and integrity, on the same embassy. The
letters which he forwarded by them, and which were worthy of himself,
contained not only entreaties and counsels, but also menaces. In the
first place, he charged his brother to attend to all that the bishops
might say, and to take cognizance of the crimes of Stephanus and of
his accomplices. He also required him to restore Athanasius to his
flock; the calumny of the accusers and the injustice and ill-will of
his former judges having become evident. He added, that if he would
not accede to his request, and perform this act of justice, he would
himself go to Alexandria, restore Athanasius to his flock which
earnestly longed for him, and expel all opponents.
Constantius was at Antioch when he received this letter; and he
agreed to carry out all that his brother commanded.
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