Page:History of the First Council of Nice.djvu/102

92 Now it appears, from the account of Socrates, who certainly was no apologist of Meletius, that Peter, bishop of Alexandria, had once taken refuge in flight from his persecutors, although he subsequently suffered martyrdom, under Diocletian, A. D. 311, being suddenly seized and beheaded, according to Eusebius, "as if by the order of Maximin."

Whether the flight of Peter gave rise to the Meletian schism does not appear, although Socrates says that, during Peter's absence after his flight, Meletius usurped the right of ordaining in his diocese.

But, on the other hand, Peter, upon his return, tried Meletius on many charges, one of which was, that, during the persecution, he had denied the faith and sacrificed, that is, to the gods, for which conduct, "the most holy Peter," says Theodoret, "deposed him and convicted him of impiety." "But," says Socrates (book chap. 6), "he pretended, that, as an innocent man, he had been unjustly dealt with, loading Peter with calumnious reproaches." Theodoret adds, moreover, that he excited troubles and commotions in Thebes and in the countries around Egypt, and sought the chief power in Alexandria. However, it is generally admitted by friends and foes both, that there were many persons among the Meletians eminent for the piety of their lives.

At the request of Alexander, of Alexandria, just before the assembling of the Council of Nice, he (Meletius) prepared a breviary containing a list of his adherents among the clergy, &c.; mentioning, by name, twenty-eight bishops, four presbyters, and five deacons, some of them noted men, as Harpocration, Theodore, Theon of Nelups, etc.—See Baronius, 129, with Pagi's notes.

It was the custom, when any episcopal seat became vacant, for the bishops of the province, in the presence of the people, to elect and ordain a successor. But Meletius was accustomed to ordain bishops, presbyters, and deacons of his own authority.—See Epiphanius, de Hæres, 68.

Epiphanius, whose book is here referred to, was a Christian writer, born about 320, at Besanduce, a village of Palestine. He spent his youth among the monks of Egypt, but returned and founded a monastery near his native village, and presided over it. About 367 he was elected bishop of Salamis, afterwards called Constantia, in Cyprus. He was a bitter opposer of Origen's sentiments. He died in 403. His principal work is his account of the different heresies, before and after, the coming of our Saviour.

Athanasius was a bitter foe to the Meletians, probably because they espoused the Arian cause. All that the Council of Nice punished Meletius for, was because he created separate churches, his own city, Lycus, but not hold any power, either for laying on of hands, or to bestow any