The Presbyters Project

Book 6

43, 1. ἐπειδήπερ τῇ κατὰ τούτων ἀρθεὶς ὑπερηφανίᾳ Νοουάτος, τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας πρεσβύτερος, ὡς μηκέτ' οὔσης αὐτοῖς σωτηρίας ἐλπίδος μηδ' εἰ πάντα τὰ εἰς ἐπιστροφὴν γνησίαν καὶ καθαρὰν ἐξομολόγησιν ἐπιτελοῖεν, ἰδίας αἱρέσεως τῶν κατὰ λογισμοῦ φυσίωσιν Καθαροὺς ἑαυτοὺς ἀποφηνάντων ἀρχηγὸς καθίσταται.

2. ἐφ' ᾧ συνόδου μεγίστης ἐπὶ Ῥώμης συγκροτηθείσης ἑξήκοντα μὲν τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἐπισκόπων, πλειόνων δ' ἔτι μᾶλλον πρεσβυτέρων τε καὶ διακόνων, ἰδίως τε κατὰ τὰς λοιπὰς ἐπαρχίας τῶν κατὰ χώραν ποιμένων περὶ τοῦ πρακτέου διασκεψαμένων, δόγμα παρίσταται τοῖς πᾶσιν, τὸν μὲν Νοουάτον ἅμα τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ συνεπαρθεῖσιν τούς τε συνευδορουμένους ἐν ἀλλοτρίοις τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡγεῖσθαι, τοὺς δὲ τῇ συμφορᾷ περιπεπτωκότας τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἰᾶσθαι καὶ θεραπεύειν τοῖς τῆς μετανοίας φαρμάκοις.

κεῖν τῇ μισαδέλφῳ καὶ ἀπανθρωποτάτῃ γνώμῃ τἀνδρὸς προαιρουμένους ἐν ἀλλοτρίοις τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡγεῖσθαι, τοὺς δὲ τῇ συμφορᾷ περιπεπτωκότας τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἰᾶσθαι καὶ θεραπεύειν τοῖς τῆς μετανοίας φαρμάκοις.

(ed. Schwartz 1999: 612-614)

Book 6

43,1. After this, Novatus, a presbyter of the Church at Rome, being lifted up with arrogance against these persons, as if there was no longer for them a hope of salvation, not even if they should do all things pertaining to a genuine and pure conversion, became leader of the heresy of those who, in the pride of their imagination, call themselves Cathari.

2. There upon a very large synod assembled at Rome, of bishops in number sixty, and a great many more presbyters and deacons; while the pastors of the remaining provinces deliberated in their places privately concerning what ought to be done. A decree was confirmed by all, that Novatus and those who joined with him, and those who adopted his brother-hating and inhuman opinion, should be considered by the church as strangers; but that they should heal such of the brethren as had fallen into misfortune, and should minister to them with the medicines of repentance.

(trans. A. Cushman McGiffert; http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250106.htm)

Discussion:

Eusebius confounds Novatian, the Roman presbyter and the founder of the rigorist schism that went by his name, with Novatus, the laxist cleric from Carthage, who joined him in the schism.

Place of event:

Region

Rome

City

Rome

About the source:

Author: Eusebius of Caesarea
Title: Ecclesiastical History, Church History, Historia Ecclesiastica, Ἐκκλεσιαστικὴ ἱστορία
Origin: Caesarea (East)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea Maritima in Palestine from about AD 314, was a Church historian and an exegete. His most important work was "Ecclesiastical History ", in which he covers the history of the Church from the beginnings to his times. The work was probably started about the time of the Diocletianic persecution, and eventually finished by AD 324.

Edition:

E. Schwartz ed., Eusebius Werke. Zweiter Band. Die Kirchengeschichte, 1-2, Die Griechischen Christlichen Schriftsteller der Ersten Jahrhunderte. Neue Folge 6, 2nd edition, Berlin 1999.

Categories:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

Ecclesiastical administration - Participation in councils and ecclesiastical courts

Administration of justice - Excommunication/Anathema

PR167.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: S. Adamiak, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1388, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1388