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WHEN Theophilus entered Constantinople, none of the clergy went
out to meet him; for his enmity against the bishop had become publicly
known. Some sailors from Alexandria, however, who chanced to be on
the shore, both from the corn vessels as well as other ships, having
collected together, received him with great acclamations of joy.
Passing by the church, he proceeded directly to the palace, where a
lodging had been prepared for his accommodation. He soon perceived
that many people of the city were strongly prejudiced against John,
and ready to bring accusations against him; and taking his measures
accordingly, he repaired to a place called "The Oak," in the
suburbs of Chalcedon. This place now bears the name of Rufinus; for
he was a consul, and erected here a magnificent palace, and a great
church in honor of the apostles, Peter and Paul, and therefore named
it the Apostolium; and appointed a congregation of monks to perform
the clerical duties in the church. When Theophilus and the other
bishops met for deliberation in this place, he judged it expedient to
make no further allusion to the works of Origen, and called the monks
of Scetis to repentance, promising that there would be no recollection
of wrongs nor infliction of evil. His partisans zealously seconded his
efforts, and told them that they must ask Theophilus to pardon their
conduct; and as all the members of the assembly concurred in this
request, the monks were troubled, and believing that it was necessary
to do what they were desired by so many bishops, they used the words
which it was their custom to use even when injured, and said "spare
us." Theophilus willingly received them into favor, and restored
them to communion; and the question concerning the injuries done to the
monks of Scetis was ended. I feel convinced that this matter would
not have been so quickly settled, had Dioscorus and Ammonius been
present with the other monks. But Dioscorus had died some time
previously, and had been interred in the church dedicated to St.
Mocius the martyr. Ammonius, also, had been taken ill at the very
time that preparations were being made for the convocation of the
council; and although he insisted upon repairing to "The Oak," yet
his malady was thereby greatly increased: he died soon after his
journey, and had a splendid entombment among the monks of that
vicinity, and there he lies. Theophilus, it is said, shed tears on
hearing of his death, and declared that although he had been the cause
of much perplexity, there was not a monk to be found of more exalted
character than Ammonius. It must, however, be admitted, that the
death of this monk tended much to promote the success of the designs of
Theophilus.
The members of the council summoned all the clergy of Constantinople
to appear before them, and threatened to depose those who did not obey
the summons. They cited John to appear and answer; as likewise
Serapion, Tigrius a presbyter, and Paul a reader. John acquainted
them, through the medium of Demetrius, bishop of Pisinus, and of
some of the other clergy, who were his friends, that he would not
avoid investigation, but that he was ready, if the names of his
accusers and the subject of his accusations were made known to him, to
justify his proceedings before a larger council; for he did not choose
to be considered insane, and to recognize his manifest enemies as
judges. The bishops testified so much indignation at the
non-compliance of John, that some of the clergy whom he had sent to
the council were intimidated and did not return to him. Demetrius,
and those who preferred his interests to all other considerations,
quitted the council, and returned to him. The same day, a courier
and a shorthand writer were dispatched from the palace to command John
to repair to the bishops, and to urge the bishops to decide his cause
without further delay. After John had been cited four times, and had
appealed to a general council, no other accusation could be
substantiated against him, except his refusal to obey the summons of
the council; and upon this ground they deposed him.
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