Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| The Second Return of Saint Athanasius.
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
Chapter IX.—The Second Return of Saint
Athanasius.
The emperor Constantius, having become acquainted with the plots
formed against the bishops, wrote to the great Athanasius once, and
twice, aye and thrice, exhorting him to return from the West499
| 499 Athanasius had gone from Sardica to Naissus (in upper Dacia), and
thence to Aquileia, where he was received by Constans. Ap. ad
Const. §4, §3. | . I shall here insert the second letter,
because it is the shortest of the three.
Constantius Augustus the
Conqueror to Athanasius.
“Although I have already
apprised you by previous letters, that you can, without fear of
molestation, return to our court, in order that you may, according to
my ardent desire, be reinstated in your own bishopric, yet I now again
despatch another letter to your gravity to exhort you to take
immediately, without fear or suspicion, a public vehicle and return to
us, in order that you may receive all that you
desire.”
When Athanasius returned,
Constantius received him with kindness, and bade him go back to the
Church of Alexandria500
| 500 Athanasius went from Aquileia to Rome, where he saw Julius again,
thence to Treves to the Court of Constans, and back to the East to
Antioch, where the conversation about the “one church” took
place. Soc. ii. 23; Soz. iii. 20. | . But there were some
attached to the court, infected with the errors of Arianism, who
maintained that Athanasius ought to cede one church to those who were
unwilling to hold communion with him. On this being mentioned to the
emperor, and by the emperor to Athanasius, he remarked, that the
imperial command appeared to be just; but that he also wished to make a
request. The emperor readily promising to grant him whatever he might
ask, he said that those in Antioch501
| 501 i.e. the
friends of Eustathius. | who objected to
hold communion with the party now in possession of the churches wanted
temples to pray in, and that it was only fair that one House of God
also be assigned to them. This request was deemed just and reasonable
by the emperor; but the leaders of the Arian faction resisted its being
carried into execution, maintaining that neither party ought to have
the churches assigned to them. Constantius on this was struck with high
admiration for Athanasius, and sent him back to Alexandria502
| 502 The
more significant from the fact that Constantius affected a more than
human impassibility. Cf. the graphic account of his entry into Rome
“velut collo munito rectam aciem luminum tendens, nec dextra
vultum nec læva flectebat, tanquam figmentum hominis: non cum rota
concuteret nutans nec spuens aut os aut nasum tergens vel fricans
manumve agitans visus est unquam.” Amm. Marc. xvi. 10. | . Gregorius was dead, having met his end at
the hands of the Alexandrians themselves503
. The
people kept high holiday in honour of their pastor; feasting marked
their joy at seeing him again, and praise was given to God504
| 504 Oct.
a.d. 346. Fest. Ind. The return is described
by Gregory of Nazianzus (Orat. 21). Authorities, however, differ as to
which return he paints. | . Not long after Constans departed this life505
| 505 i.e. was
murdered by the troops of the usurper Magnentius at Illiberis (re-named
Helena by Constantine, and now Elne, in Roussillon), a.d. 350. | .E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
