Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 920
Presbyter Evagrius is a deputy of an unnamed bishop, possibly Paulinus of Antioch (Syria) at the Council in Aquileia (Italy) in AD 381. The Acts of the Council of Aquileia, AD 381.
Palladius, bishop of Ratiara (Dacia) refuses to respond the questions of Bishop Ambrose of Milan (Italy) because he claims that the council of Aquileia was convoked without informing the Eastern bishops.
 
11. Ambrosius episcopus dixit: Sequestrata sit causa Orientalium, sententiam tuam hodie quaero. Arri tibi epistula lecta est; soles te arrianum negare; aut damna hodie Arrium aut defende.
Palladius dixit: Non est auctoritatis tuae ut hoc a me quaeras.
Eusebius episcopus dixit: Non credimus religiosum imperatorem aliud dixisse quam scripsit. Episcopos iussit conuenire. Non potuit tibi soli contra rescriptum suum dicere ut sine Orientalibus causa minime diceretur.
Palladius dixit: Si Itali soli iussi sunt conuenire?
Euagrius presbyter et legatus dixit: Et ante quattuor dies et ante biduum respondere te et adfuturum dixeras. Quid ergo? Expectabas, ut dicis, Orientalium consortium tuorum sententiam? Sic debuisti mandare, non promittere conflictum.
 
Follows the response of Palladius. The text is severly corrupted.
 
(ed. Gryson 1980: 336)
Palladius, bishop of Ratiara (Dacia) refuses to respond to the questions of Bishop Ambrose of Milan (Italy) because he claims that the Council of Aquileia was convoked without informing the Eastern bishops.
 
11. Bishop Ambrose said: Let us put aside the case of the Eastern bishops. I ask today for your opinion. The letter of Arius has been read to you. You usually deny that you are an Arian. Today condemn Arius or defend him.
Palladius said: You have no authority to ask me this.
Bishop Eusebius said: We do not believe that the pious emperor said something other than he wrote. He ordered bishops to convene. He could not say only to you against his own rescript that you would not defend yourself without the Eastern bishops.
Palladius said: But if only Italians were ordered to gather?
Evagrius, presbyter and legate said: Four days ago and two days ago you said that you would come and answer. And now what? You expected, as you say, the opinion of your collegues, the Eastern bishops? You should have said so instead of promising the debate.
 
Follows the response of Palladius. The text is severely corrupted.
 
(trans. M. Szada)

Discussion:

Palanque (1933: 82, n. 11) proposed to identify this Evagrius with a future bishop of Antioch (East), and a successor of the bishop Paulinus.

Place of event:

Region
  • Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia
City
  • Aquileia

About the source:

Title: Acts of the council of Aquileia 381 AD, Gesta episcoporum Aquilea adversum haereticos Arrianos
Origin: Aquileia (Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
The Council of Aquileia gathered on 3 September of 381. It was probably at first designed as a general council of the Western and Eastern bishops, and the Homoian bishop of Ratiaria (Dacia) received from the Emperor Gratian (367-383) the assertion that the Eastern bishops would be present; some of them were also Homoian and could support Palladius against Ambrose of Milan. Ambrose, however, persuaded the emperor to convoke practically only the bishop from Italy (Gryson 1980: 121-124). The council eventually condemned bishops Palladius of Ratiaria, Secundianus of Singidunum (in Moesia; todays Belgrade), and the presbyter Attalus for Arianism.
 
The acts of the Council were written down in shorthand by stenographers provided by the Nicene party (see also McLynn 1994: 112-113, 123-126).
Edition:
R. Gryson ed., Scolies ariennes sur le concile d’Aquilée, Sources Chrétiennes 267, Paris 1980, 331–383.
Bibliography:
J.-R. Palanque, Saint Ambroise et l’Empire romain. Contribution à l’histoire des rapports de l’Église et de l’État à la fin du quatrième siècle, Paris 1933.

Categories:

Languages used - Latin (as a foreign language)
Travel and change of residence
Further ecclesiastical career - Bishop
Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
Ecclesiastical administration - Participation in councils and ecclesiastical courts
Ecclesiastical administration - Ecclesiastical envoy
Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER920, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=920