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| The Emperor Constantius repairs to Sirmium, recalls Liberius, and restores him to the Church of Rome; he also commands Felix to assist Liberius in the Sacerdotal Office.
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Chapter XV.—The
Emperor Constantius repairs to Sirmium, recalls Liberius, and restores
him to the Church of Rome; he also commands Felix to assist Liberius in
the Sacerdotal Office.
Not long after these events,
the emperor returned to Sirmium from Rome; on receiving a deputation
from the Western bishops, he recalled Liberius from Berœa.1320
| 1320Athan. Hist. Arian. 35–41; Epistles of
Liberius, M. P. L. 8; Hil. Fragm. iv.–vi.;
Theodoret, H. E. ii. 17; Ruf. i. 22; Philost. iv. 3; Soc. ii.
37; Sulp. Sev. H. S. ii. 39. Many independent details.
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Constantius urged him, in the presence of the deputies of the Eastern
bishops, and of the other priests who were at the camp, to confess that
the Son is not of the same substance as the Father. He was instigated
to this measure by Basil, Eustathius, and Eusebius, who possessed great
influence over him. They had formed a compilation, in one document, of
the decrees against Paul of Samosata, and Photinus, bishop of Sirmium;
to which they subjoined a formulary of faith drawn up at Antioch at the
consecration of the church, as if certain persons had, under the
pretext of the term “consubstantial,” attempted to
establish a heresy of their own. Liberius, Athanasius, Alexander,
Severianus, and Crescens, a priest of Africa, were induced to assent to
this document, as were likewise Ursacius, Germanius, bishop of Sirmium,
Valens, bishop of Mursa, and as many of the Eastern bishops as were
present. They partially approved of a confession of faith drawn up by
Liberius, in which he declared that those who affirm that the Son is
not like unto the Father in substance and in all other respects, are
excommunicated. For when Eudoxius and his partisans at Antioch, who
favored the heresy of Aëtius, received the letter of Hosius, they
circulated the report that Liberius had renounced the term
“consubstantial,” and had admitted that the Son is dissimilar from the Father.
After these enactments had been made by the Western bishops, the
emperor permitted Liberius to return to Rome. The bishops who were then
convened at Sirmium1321
| 1321The fourth Sirmium council, a.d. 358.
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wrote to Felix, who governed the Roman church, and to the other
bishops, desiring them to receive Liberius. They directed that both
should share the apostolical throne and discharge the priestly duties
in common, with harmony of mind; and that whatever illegalities might
have occurred in the ordination of Felix, or the banishment of
Liberius, might be buried in oblivion. The people of Rome regarded
Liberius as a very excellent man, and esteemed him highly on account of
the courage he had evinced in opposing the emperor, so that they had
even excited seditions on his account, and had gone so far as to shed
blood. Felix survived but a short time; and Liberius found himself in
sole possession of the church. This event was, no doubt, ordained by
God, that the seat of Peter might not be dishonored by the occupancy of
two bishops; for such an arrangement is a sign of discord, and is
foreign to ecclesiastical law.
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