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| Election of Nectarius to the See of Constantinople; his Birthplace and Education.
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Chapter VIII.—Election
of Nectarius to the See of Constantinople; his Birthplace and
Education.
A certain man of Tarsus in
Cilicia, of the illustrious order of senator, was at this period
residing at Constantinople.1531
| 1531Soc. v. 8; cf. Theodoret, H. E. v. 8;
Marcell. s. a.d. 381. Soz. is entirely
independent.
|
Being about to return to his own country, he called upon Diodorus,
bishop of Tarsus, to inquire whether he had any letters to send by him.
Diodorus was fully intent upon the ordination, which was the subject
then engrossing universal attention of the men. He had no sooner seen
Nectarius than he considered him worthy of the bishopric, and straightway determined this in his own mind
as he reflected on the venerable age of the man, his form so befitting
a priest, and the suavity of his manners. He conducted him, as if upon
some other business, to the bishop of Antioch, and requested him to use
his influence to procure this election. The bishop of Antioch derided
this request, for the names of the most eminent men had already been
proposed for consideration. He, however, called Nectarius to him, and
desired him to remain for a short time with him. Some time after, the
emperor commanded the priests to draw up a list of the names of those
whom they thought worthy of the ordination, reserving to himself the
right of choosing any one of those whose names were thus submitted to
him. All the bishops complied with this mandate; and, among the others,
the bishop of Antioch wrote down the names of those whom he proposed as
candidates for the bishopric, and, at the end of his list, from
consideration for Diodorus, he inserted the name of Nectarius. The
emperor read the list of those inscribed and stopped at the name of
Nectarius at the end of the document, on which he placed his finger,
and seemed for some time lost in reflection; ran it up to the
beginning, and again went through the whole, and chose Nectarius. This
nomination excited great astonishment and all the people were anxious
to ascertain who Nectarius was, his manner of life, and birthplace.
When they heard that he had not been initiated their amazement was
increased at the decision of the emperor. I believe that Diodorus
himself was not aware that Nectarius had not been baptized; for, had he
been acquainted with this fact, he would not have ventured to give his
vote for the priesthood to one uninitiated. It appears reasonable to
suppose, that on perceiving that Nectarius was of advanced age, he took
it for granted that he had been initiated long previously. But these
events did not take place without the interposition of God. For when
the emperor was informed that Nectarius had not been initiated, he
remained of the same opinion, although opposed by many priests. When at
last, consent had been given to the imperial mandate, Nectarius was
initiated, and while yet clad in his initiatory robes, was proclaimed
bishop of Constantinople by the unanimous voice of the Synod. Many have
conjectured that the emperor was led to make this election by a Divine
revelation. I shall not decide whether this conjecture be true or
false; but I feel convinced, when I reflect on the extraordinary
circumstances attending this ordination, that the events were not
brought about without the Divine strength; and that God led this mild
and virtuous and excellent man into the priesthood. Such are the
details which I have been able to ascertain concerning the ordination
of Nectarius.
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