Macedonius I of Constantinople (

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

: Μακεδόνιος; died after 360) was a Greek bishop of Constantinople from 342 up to 346, and from 351 until 360. He inspired the establishment of the

Pneumatomachi The ''Pneumatomachi'' (; ), also known as Macedonians or Semi-Arians in Constantinople and the Tropici in Alexandria, were an anti-Nicene Creed sect which flourished in the regions adjacent to the Hellespont during the latter half of the fourth, ...

(also called Macedonians), a sect later declared

heretical Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Christianity, Judai ...

Biography

After bishop

Alexander of Constantinople Alexander of Constantinople (; 241 – 337) was bishop of Byzantium from 314 and the first bishop of Constantinople from 330 (the city was renamed during his episcopacy in 330). Scholars consider most of the available information on Alexander ...

's death in 336, his orthodox followers supported

Paul I of Constantinople Paul I of Constantinople or ''Saint Paul the Confessor'' (Greek: Παῦλος; died 350), was the sixth bishop of Constantinople, elected first in 337. Paul I became involved in the Arian controversy which drew in the Emperor of the West, Co ...

. On the other hand, the

Arians Arianism (, ) is a Christological doctrine which rejects the traditional notion of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be a creation of God, and therefore distinct from God. It is named after its major proponent, Arius (). It is considered h ...

rallied round Macedonius I. The former was ordained bishop but did not hold his bishopric long. The Semi-Arian Roman emperor

Constantius II Constantius II (; ; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic peoples, while internally the Roman Empire went through repeated civ ...

came to Constantinople, convened a

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

of Arian bishops, banished Paul I, and, to the disappointment of Macedonius I, translated

Eusebius of Nicomedia Eusebius of Nicomedia (; ; died 341) was an Arian priest who baptised Constantine the Great on his deathbed in 337. A fifth-century legend evolved that Pope Sylvester I was the one to baptise Constantine, but this is dismissed by scholars as ...

to the vacant see. This was thought to have been in 338. Eusebius's death in 341 restarted hostilities between the partisans of Paul I and Macedonius I. Paul I returned, and was introduced into the Irene church of Constantinople; Arian bishops immediately ordained Macedonius in St. Paul's church. So violent did the tumult become that Constantius II sent his general Hermogenes (died 342) to eject Paul I for a second time. His soldiers met with open resistance; the general was killed and his body dragged through the city. Constantius II at once left

Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; , ) "Antioch on Daphne"; or "Antioch the Great"; ; ; ; ; ; ; . was a Hellenistic Greek city founded by Seleucus I Nicator in 300 BC. One of the most important Greek cities of the Hellenistic period, it served as ...

and punished Constantinople by depriving the people of half their daily allowance of

corn Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...

. Paul I was expelled; Macedonius I was severely blamed for his part in these disturbances, and for allowing himself to be ordained without imperial sanction; but over all the Arians triumphed. Macedonius I was permitted to officiate the church in which he had been consecrated. Paul I went to Rome, and he and

Athanasius of Alexandria Athanasius I of Alexandria ( – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, Athanasius the Confessor, or, among Coptic Christians, Athanasius the Apostolic, was a Christian theologian and the 20th patriarch of Alexandria (as Athanasius ...

and other orthodox bishops expelled from their sees were sent back by

Pope Julius I Pope Julius I was the bishop of Rome from 6 February 337 to his death on 12 April 352. He was appealed to by Athanasius when the latter was deposed from his position as patriarch by Arian bishops, Julius then supported Athanasius and condemned hi ...

with letters rebuking those who had deposed them. Philip the prefect executed the fresh orders of the emperor in hurrying Paul into exile to

Thessalonica Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area) and the capital city, capital of the geographic reg ...

, and in reinstating Macedonius, but not without bloodshed. Macedonius held the see for about six years, while letters and delegates, the pope and the emperors, synods and counter-synods, were debating and disputing the treatment of Paul I and Athanasius. In 349 the alternative of war offered by

Constans Flavius Julius Constans ( 323 – 350), also called Constans I, was Roman emperor from 337 to 350. He held the imperial rank of '' caesar'' from 333, and was the youngest son of Constantine the Great. After his father's death, he was made ''a ...

, emperor of the West, induced Constantius II to reinstate Paul I; and Macedonius I had to retire to a private church. The murder of Constans in 350 placed the East under the sole control of Constantius II, and Paul I was at once exiled. Imperial edicts followed, which permitted the Arians to claim to be the dominant faction in the church. Macedonius I is said to have signalled his return to power by acts which, if truly reported, brand him as a cruel bigot. The Novatianists suffered perhaps even more fearfully than the orthodox and some of them were stung into a desperate resistance: those of Constantinople removing the materials of their church to a distant suburb of the city; those at Mantinium in

Paphlagonia Paphlagonia (; , modern translit. ''Paflagonía''; ) was an ancient region on the Black Sea coast of north-central Anatolia, situated between Bithynia to the west and Pontus (region), Pontus to the east, and separated from Phrygia (later, Galatia ...

daring to face the imperial soldiers sent to expel them from their home. "The exploits of Macedonius", says

Socrates Scholasticus Socrates of Constantinople ( 380 – after 439), also known as Socrates Scholasticus (), was a 5th-century Greek Christian church historian, a contemporary of Sozomen and Theodoret. He is the author of a ''Historia Ecclesiastica'' ("Church Hi ...

, "on behalf of

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

, consisted of

murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...

battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...

incarceration Imprisonment or incarceration is the restraint of a person's liberty for any cause whatsoever, whether by authority of the government, or by a person acting without such authority. In the latter case it is considered " false imprisonment". Impri ...

s, and

civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

s". An act of presumption finally lost him the imperial favor in 358. The Sepulchre containing the body of

Constantine the Great Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...

was in danger of falling to pieces, and Macedonius determined to remove them. The question was made a party one. The orthodox assailed as

sacrilege Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object, site or person. This can take the form of irreverence to sacred persons, places, and things. When the sacrilegious offence is verbal, it is called blasphemy, and when physical ...

"the disinterment of the supporter of the

Nicene The Nicene Creed, also called the Creed of Constantinople, is the defining statement of belief of Nicene Christianity and in those Christian denominations that adhere to it. The original Nicene Creed was first adopted at the First Council of N ...

faith", the Macedonians pleaded the necessities of structural repair. When the remains were conveyed to the church of

Acacius of Caesarea Acacius of Caesarea (; date of birth unknown, died in 366) was a Christian bishop probably originating from Roman Syria, Syria; Acacius was the pupil and biographer of Eusebius and his successor on the Episcopal see, see of Caesarea Palestina. Acac ...

, the excited populace met in the church and churchyard; so frightful a carnage ensued that the place was filled with blood and slaughtered bodies. cites Socrates, II, 38. Constantius II's anger was great against Macedonius I because of the slaughter, but even more, because he had removed the body without consulting him. When Macedonius I presented himself at the

council of Seleucia The Council of Seleucia was an early Christian church synod at Seleucia Isauria (now Silifke, Turkey). History In 358, the Roman Emperor Constantius II requested two councils, one of the western bishops at Ariminum and one of the eastern bishop ...

in 359, it was ruled that being under accusation it was not proper for him to remain (Socrates, II, 40). His opponents,

, Eudoxius of Antioch, and others, followed him to Constantinople, and, availing themselves of the emperor's indignation, deposed him in 360 on the ground of cruelty and canonical irregularities. Macedonius I retired to a suburb of the city and died there. He is said to have elaborated the views with which his name is connected in his retirement. The " Macedonians", his followers, did not believe in the divinity of the

Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit, otherwise known as the Holy Ghost, is a concept within the Abrahamic religions. In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is understood as the divine quality or force of God manifesting in the world, particularly in acts of prophecy, creati ...

Notes and references

Attribution

* Fuller cites: **

, H. E., II, 7, 13, 16, 38, 40; ** Fuller advises for authorities, consult the scattered notices in Socrates, Sozomen; Hefele, Conciliengeschichte, i; the usual Church histories and HOLY GHOST in D. C. B. (4-vol. ed. 1882). {{DEFAULTSORT:Macedonius 01 Of Constantinople 4th-century Archbishops of Constantinople People declared heretics by the first seven ecumenical councils 4th-century Romans