CHAPTER XLIV

OF MELETIUS BISHOP OF ANTIOCH

IT becomes us now to speak of Meletius, who, as we have recently observed, was created bishop of Sebastia in Armenia, after the deposition of Eustathius; but he was afterwards translated from Sebastia to Berœa, a city of Syria. Being present at the Synod of Seleucia, he subscribed the creed set forth there by Acacius, and immediately returned thence to Berœa. On the convention of the Synod at Constantinople, when the people of Antioch understood that Eudoxius, captivated by the magnificence of the see of Constantinople, had contemned the presidency over their church, they sent for Meletius, and invested him with the bishopric of the church at Antioch. After this he at first avoided all doctrinal questions, confining his discourses to moral subjects; but subsequently he expounded to his auditors the Nicene creed, and asserted the doctrine of consubstantiality. The emperor being informed of this, ordered that he should be sent into exile; and caused Euzoïus, who had before been deposed together with Arius, to be installed bishop of Antioch in his stead. Such however as were attached to Meletius, separated themselves from the Arian congregation, and held their assemblies apart: nevertheless those who originally embraced the Homoousian opinion would not communicate with them, because Meletius had been ordained by the Arians, and his adherents had been baptized by them. Thus was the Antiochian church divided, even in regard to those whose views on matters of faith exactly corresponded. Meanwhile the emperor getting intelligence that the Persians were preparing to undertake another war against the Romans, repaired in great haste to Antioch.