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The Christians who represented the Nicene doctrines and the followers
of the Novatian views were treated with equal severity in the city of
Constantinople.
They were all ultimately expelled from the city; and the churches of
the Novatians were closed by order of the emperor. The other party
had no churches to be closed, having been deprived of them all during
the reign of Constantius.
At this period, Agelius who, from the time of Constantius, had
governed the church of the Novatians at Constantinople, was condemned
to banishment. It is said that he was especially remarkable for his
course of life according to the ecclesiastical laws. With respect to
his mode of life, he had attained to the highest degree of philosophy,
namely, freedom from worldly possessions; this was evidenced by his
daily conduct; he had but one tunic, and always walked barefooted.
Not long after his banishment, he was recalled, received the churches
under him, and boldly convened churches through the influence of
Marcian, a man of extraordinary virtue and eloquence, who had
formerly been enrolled among the troops of the palace, but at this
period was a presbyter of the Novatian heresy, and the teacher of
grammar to Anastasia and Carosa, the daughters of the emperor.
There are still baths at Constantinople which bear the names of these
princesses. It was for the sake of Marcian alone that the privilege
above mentioned was conceded to the Novatians.
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