Eusebius of Nicomedia

Eusebius of Nicomedia († 341 ) was 318-338 Bishop of Nicomedia and Constantinople Opel and Arius next to the most important leaders of the Arians in the first half of the 4th century.

Life

Eusebius came from Syria, and was, like Arius, a pupil of Lucian of Antioch. As Bishop of Berytus (modern Beirut ) he allowed himself to assign far more important bishopric of Nicomedia, the residence of the emperor Licinius, with his wife Constantia, sister of Constantine the Great, he stood in high favor - according to a source, he was even with the imperial house related.

When Arius was sentenced in Alexandria, he fled to Caesarea, where he was well received by Eusebius of Caesarea. From there, he asked Eusebius of Nicomedia in a traditional letter for assistance. Eusebius of Nicomedia placed himself at the head of the Arian party, and wrote many letters to support Arius. In a letter to Paulinius also obtained, Bishop of Tyre, he described the Arian doctrine in detail.

There was epistolary round envelopes of Alexander of Alexandria on one side and Eusebius of Nicomedia on the other side. The emperor tried to mediate, and called, as that failed, the first Council of Nicaea one, was on the Eusebius the leader of the Arian party.

Eusebius signed the Nicene Creed, the final commitment of the Council. But shortly thereafter, he took again decided the Arian position and called for the repeal of the anathemas against Arius. Then he was banished by the Emperor Constantine - among other things because of his intrigues on the part of Licinius. However, the widow of Licinius and Constantine's sister Constantia used for Eusebius ( and Arius ), and four years after the Council he stood in high favor with the Emperor and was determined to retaliate for the personal defeat of Nicaea.

In the next few years he was at the head of a small but influential group that lobbied intensively for the victory of the Arians. Do not revoked their signatures of Nicaea, but explained that Arius exaggerated words have repented and had been misunderstood and that the formula of Nicaea was ambiguous and strongly going towards Sabellianism. So they brought the large group of Origen 's supporters to their side, as well as some other bishops, who wanted to be best viewed with the Emperor.

The anti-Arian Patriarch Eustathius of Antioch was deposed due to accusations of Eusebius and exiled for allegedly disrespectful remarks about the emperor's mother. Athanasius, who was bishop since 328 of the second eastern Patriarchate of Alexandria, was sued for various sometimes very absurd religious points with the Emperor, but was able to prove his innocence. However, another political prosecution did the emperor so angry that he banished Athanasius. More influential trinitarian bishops who were deposed by the influence of Eusebius at court, were Paul of Constantinople Opel, Aselepas of Gaza and Marcellus of Ancyra.

On May 22, 337, Emperor Constantine died in Nicomedia, after he had been baptized by the local bishop Eusebius. The Roman Empire was divided among his sons Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans, who let return all exiled bishops of both parties. For Eusebius brought the new government benefits: Constantius II, who had the east of the empire, was just twenty years old and was easily influenced by Eusebius church politics, so he fought the Trinitarians for the rest of his life. Furthermore, Eusebius was assigned the task of ensuring as guardian for the education of the future Emperor Julian, who was a cousin of Constantius II and survivor of the murders after the death of Constantine.

338 Eusebius was bishop of Constantinople Opel. In Alexandria and Antioch were bishops of his choice, after he had caused the exile of the Trinitarians. An attempt to let Athanasius, condemned by the Bishop of Rome, Julius I, but failed thoroughly.

He dedicated the Goths Wulfila in Antioch to the " Bishop of the Christians in the rural Gothic ", which, however, the Arian doctrine faced skeptical.

Even after his death, 341 his policy had after a long time since he had sent important positions occupied by Arians.