Heortology : $b A history of the Christian festivals from their origin to the present dayKellner, K. A. Heinrich (Karl Adam Heinrich)
Religion
Heortology : $b A history of the Christian festivals from their origin to the present day
Kellner, K. A. Heinrich (Karl Adam Heinrich)
Church year; Fasts and feasts
The comparison of the Arian martyrology with that of St Jerome has
further led to a curious discovery,[761] _i.e._ that the entries from the
6th (or more correctly from the 8th) to the 30th June are indeed included
in the martyrology of St Jerome, but have been bodily transferred to
the corresponding dates in July.[762] This latter month has only three
entries, and it has been thought that the mistake is due to the Arian
compiler or his transcribers, but it is just as likely that the change
of date was made by the author of the _Hieronymianum_. How this fact
is to be explained must be left to conjecture. Another important point
bearing upon the connection between the two documents is the fact that
the one mentions Bishop Eusebius of Cæsarea on the 30th May, but the
other in more detail on the 21st June, as follows: _In Cæsarea Palæstinæ
Dep. Eusebi Epi. Historiographi_. Which is correct? Certainly the
Syrian document, which also gives correctly the day of Arius’ death.
The entry on the 6th June clearly exhibits the Arian character of the
document: “In Alexandria, Arius Presbyter.” The fact that he is merely
commemorated, proves that it is incorrect to suppose, as many do, that
another Arius, a reputed, but otherwise unknown, martyr of Alexandria is
intended. The martyrs in this document are treated to more than a mere
commemoration (dukrana). Accordingly he did not regard this particular
Arius as a martyr.
From the description which we have given of this highly important
document, one is led to expect that it will throw fresh light on certain
historical questions, and so, as a matter of fact, it does. For instance,
we can fix the death of Arius by its assistance on the 6th June 336.
Arius died on a Saturday shortly before sunset. On the following day he
was to have been solemnly received into the Church.[763] The only year
which can be taken into consideration is 336, for in it the 6th June fell
on a Saturday.[764]
The historian Eusebius died about the time when Athanasius returned to
Alexandria from his first exile. This was shortly after Constantine’s
death († 22nd May 337). Since Eusebius died soon after he had finished
the life of Constantine, whom he did not long survive, his death is to
be placed on the 30th May 338. This takes for granted that the Bishop
of Palestine mentioned on the 30th May is identical with the historian,
which can scarcely be called in doubt. Cæsarea was the ecclesiastical
metropolis of Palestine, and this accounts for his title, Bishop of
Palestine.[765] His successor and heir and biographer was the energetic
Acacius.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account