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BESIDES the prelates above mentioned, Cyril, bishop of
Jerusalem, was deposed because he had admitted Eustathius and
Elpidius into communion, after they had opposed the decrees enacted by
those convened at Melitina, among whom was Cyril himself; and
because he had also received Basil and George, bishop of Laodicea,
into communion after their deposition in Palestine. When Cyril was
first installed in the bishopric of Jerusalem, he had a dispute with
Acacius, bishop of Caesarea, concerning his rights as a
Metropolitan, which he claimed on the ground of his bishopric being an
apostolic see. This dispute excited feelings of enmity between the two
bishops, and they mutually accused each other of unsoundness of
doctrine concerning the Godhead. In fact, they had both been
suspected previously; the one, that is, Acacius, of favoring the
heresy of Arius; and the Other, of siding with those who maintain
that the Son is in substance like unto the Father. Acacius being
thus inimically disposed towards Cyril, and finding himself supported
by the bishops of the province, who were of the same sentiments as
himself, contrived to depose Cyril under the following pretext.
Jerusalem and the neighboring country was at one time visited with a
famine, and the poor appealed in great multitudes to Cyril, as their
bishop, for necessary food. As he had no money to purchase the
requisite provisions, he sold for this purpose the veil and sacred
ornaments of the church. It is said that a man, having recognized an
offering which he had presented at the altar as forming part of the
costume of an actress, made it his business to inquire whence it was
procured; and ascertained that a merchant had sold it to the actress,
and that the bishop had sold it to the merchant. It was under this
pretext that Acacius deposed Cyril.
And on inquiry I find these to be the facts. It is said that the
Acacians then expelled from Constantinople all the bishops above
mentioned who had been deposed. Ten bishops of their own party who had
refused to subscribe to these edicts of deposition, were separated from
the others, and were interdicted from performing the functions of the
ministry or ruling their churches until they consented to give their
signatures. It was enacted that unless they complied within six
months, and yielded their assent to all the decrees of the council,
they should be deposed, and that the bishops of every province should
be summoned to elect other bishops in their stead. After these
determinations and deeds, letters were then sent to all the bishops and
clergy, to observe and fulfill its decrees.
As a consequence, not long after, some of the Eudoxian party were
substituted here and there. Eudoxius himself took possession of the
bishopric of Macedonius; Athanasius was placed over the church of
Basil; and Eunomius, who was 322 subsequently the leader of a
heresy bearing his name, took the see of Eleusius; and Meletius was
appointed to the church of Sebaste, instead of Eustathius.
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