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SARDINIA

Sardica, Council of, one of the series of councils called to adjust the doctrinal and other difficulties caused by the Arian heresy, held most probalDly in 343. (For date see Hefele, French tr., "Histoire des conciles", II, pt. II, 737-42, and Duchesne, "Hist, ancienne de I'Eglise", II, 215.) It was convoked by the Emperors Constans and Constantius at the urgent entreaty of Pope Julius. Hosius of Cordova and other Western bishops, desirous of peace and hoping to secure a final judgment in the case of St. Athanasius and other bishops alternately condemned and vindicated by councils in the East and the West; desirous, also, of settling definitively the confusion arising from the many doctrinal formulae in circula- tion, suggested that all such matters should be re- ferred to a general council. In order to make the council thoroughly representative, Sardica in Dacia (now Sofia, in Bulgaria), was chosen as the meeting- place. Athanasius, driven from Alexandria by the Prefect Philadrius in 339, was summoned by the Emperor Constans from Rome, where he had taken refuge, first to Milan and afterwards to Trier. At the latter place he met Hosius, who was commissioned by the pope and the emperor to preside over the council, and whom he accompanied to Sardica. Pope Julius was represented by the priests Archidamus and Philoxenus, and the deacon Leo. Ninety-six Western bishops i)resented themselves at Sardica: those from the East were not so numerous.

Being in the minority, the Eastern bishops decided to act as a body, and, fearing defections, they all lodged in the same place. On the ground of being un- willing to recognize Athanasius, Marcellus of Ancyra, and Asclepas, who had been excommunicated in Eastern synods, they refused to sit in council with the Western bishops. Hosius of Cordova attempted to effect a comi>romise by inviting them to present privately to him their complaints against Athanasius, and by promising, in case Athanasius should be ac- quitted, to take him to Spain. These overtures failed. The Eastern bishops — although the council had been called expressly for the puqiose of reopening the case in regard to those who had been excommunicated — defended their conduct on the fictitious plea that one council could not revise the decisions of another. They withdrew from Sardica and met at Philippop- olis, where they composed an encyclical and a new creed, which they falsely dated from Sardica. The Western bishops, thus abandoned, examined the cases of Athanasius, Marcellus, and Asclepas. No fresh investigation of the charges against Athanasius was considered necessary, as these had been already re- jected, and he and the other two bishops, who were permitted to present exculpatory documents, were declared innocent. In addition to this, censure was passed on the Easterns for having abandoned the council, and several of them were deposed and ex- communicated.

The question of a new creed containing some ad- ditions to that of Nicaja was discussed, but although the formula) had been drawn up, the bishops wisely decided to add nothing to the accepted symbol, and thus gave the Arians no pretext for saying that hitherto they had not been explicitly condenmed. Though the form of the proposed creed was presented to the council, it was not inserted in the encyclical addressed by the council to "all the bishops of the Catholic Church". Before separating, the bishops enacted several important canons, especially concern- ing the transfer and trial of bishops and appeals. These canons, with the other documents of the coun- cil, were sent to Pope Julius with a letter signed by the majority of the attending bishops. The council failed entirely to accomplish its purpose. The paci- fication of the Church was not secured, and the Eastern bishops grew bolder and more contu- macious.

Hefele, Conciliengeschichle, Fr. tr., Hixt. des conciles; GwatkiH Studies of Arianism(Ca.mhndge,imiQ), 120 sq.; Tubmel, La pa- paute a. Sardigue in Rev. Cath. des Eglises (1906) -.Turner, TheGen- uineness of the Sardica Canons in Journal of Theological Studies

Patrick J. Healy.

Sardinia, the second largest Italian island in the Mediterranean, lying between 41° 15' and 38° 51' N. lat. and having an area of 9294 square miles. The principal gulfs, almost all on the western coast, are those of Caghari, the largest, Teulada, Palmas, Car- loforte, Terranova, and Tortoh. These gulfs give their names to as many ports, all of which, hke the smaller ports, are fine natural harbours. The largest islands belonging to Sardinia are: S. Antioco, S. Pie- tro, Asinara, Caprera, and S. Stefano. There are three mountain ranges in the island ; the most north- erly — the mountains of Limbara — rise to an elevation of 4468 feet; the central range contains Gennargentu, the culminating point of Sardinia, 6016 feet high; and the southern Monte Linas, 4055 feet. There are numerous extinct volcanos: Monte Ferru (3448 ft.), Monte Mannu Nurri (3104 ft.), Chere- mule (2924 ft.), etc. The largest river is the Tirso, 94 miles long, rising in the Budduso mountains, with two estuaries, one at the lagoon of St. Giusta, the other at the sea near Oristano. Among the other rivers are the Rio di Porto Torres, Coquinas, Mannu, Flumendosa, and Samassi. There are thirty-seven lagoons along the sea-coast (Cagliari, a great fishing centre, Oristano, Sassu, Palmas, etc.). In addition there are many marshes now being reclaimed for agricultural purposes. The most extensive plains are the Campidano near Cagliari, the Piano della Nurra, and the Campo di Ozieri. The island is formed chiefly of granite, trachyte, basalt, other volcanic rocks, and of chalk deposits. The climate is tem- perate, but malaria prevails in the plains in summer, which accounts for the small p[)ulation. The fata morgana (mirage) is of common occurrence. In 1901 the population was 791,754; at present (1911) it is estimated to be about 850,000 (90 to the square mile).

Sardinia is rich in minerals; the most plentiful metal is lead, ininglcHl with silver. The richest beds of ore lie in the circumsc'riptions of Iglesias, Nuoro, Lanusei, Sassari, and in the mountains of Nurra. Iron is found chiefly in the mountains of the south-west, especially about Capoterra and Oghastra. Copper, manganese, antimony, and zinc are mined in certain districts. Lignite occurs in fairly extensive beds near Gonnesa, Iglesias, and Sulcis; anthracite and graphite in smaller quantities. There are 117 mines, employing 12,000 men, and having an output valued at about 21,000,000 francs (1903). The flora of the island includes vast forests of oak which supply an immense quantity of cork, olives, oranges, quinces, chestnuts, walnuts, and carob-beans. Among the fauna the principal are the numerous herds of mouf- flons {Ovis Ammon), with large curving horns, and of goats; deer, stags, and wild boars are plentiful in the wooded mountains; wild horses disappeared only a few decades ago. The domesticated horses are re- markably sturdy; a species of small horse is largely exported to Algeria. The small Sardinian ass is in great demand as a pet on the peninsula. Oxen are used in ploughing, the beef is good, but the milk supply very short. In the oak forests there still exists a species of wild pig, like the wild boar.

Agriculture is in a backward state owing to the scanty population; the farms are mostly medium-sized or small; 618^ square miles are incapable of culti- vation. One of the worst agricultural pests in Sar- dina is the locusts which come over from Africa in large swarms. The total produce for 1903 was wheat, 4,824,090 bushels; Indian corn, 178, 775 bushels; wine, 63,664,970 gallons; oil, 221,110 gallons; the salt-