CHAPTER XIX

THE OPINION OF SERAPION RESPECTING THE HERESY OF THE PHRYGIANS

SERAPION, who is said about this time to have been the bishop of the church of Antioch, after Maximums, has also made mention of the writings of Apollinaris against the same heresy. In a private letter, which he wrote to Caricus and Ponticus, he mentions him, and also refutes his heresy in the following words: “But that you may also see, that the influence of this lying party of a new prophecy, as it is called, is abominated by all the brethren in the world, I have also sent you the epistle of Claudius Apollinaris, that most blessed bishop of Hierapolis in Asia.” In this same epistle of Serapion are also given the subscriptions of several bishops, of whom one wrote as follows: “I, Aurelius Cyrenius, a witness, wish you health.” Another, as follows: “Ælius Publius Julius, bishop of Debeltum, a colony of Thrace, as sure as God lives in the heavens, the blessed Sotas, in Anchialus, wished to cast out the demon from Priscilla, and the hypocrites would not suffer him.” The signatures of many other bishops who bear witness to the facts, are given in their own hand in this epistle. And such are the statements referring to these.