Discourse on the Venerable 318 God-Bearing Fathers and on Constantine the Most Pious Emperor
By Gregory the Presbyter of Caesarea in Cappadocia*
By Gregory the Presbyter of Caesarea in Cappadocia*
Having been permitted by the apostolic exhortation to obey those who rule, O lover of God, and, as it were, having forgotten my own weakness, and having overlooked the lack of elegance in my discourse, I submitted myself to the honored Father, who was proposing to me that I should write briefly concerning the gathering at Nicaea of the holy three hundred and eighteen Fathers, and that I should present it also to the most holy Church in Nicaea under his care; so that the narratives might preserve in written form both the spiritual struggle of those whose bodily presence it had enjoyed. And indeed, the things spoken by me according to my own ability, in comparison with the surpassing greatness of the virtuous conduct of the Fathers, I would say resemble the smallness of dew contending against ocean waves; but of his perfection it would be fitting not to direct the mind toward the grandeur of the words, but rather to measure the zeal of sympathy by the eagerness of obedience.
When Maximian and Licinius and Maxentius had ruled impiously in Rome, and had subjected to tortures and death many who refused to sacrifice to demons and abandon the faith of the Christians, and had themselves found in the destruction of their lives a fitting reward for their madness toward idols, then wondrously from the regions of the West there arose, like the morning star, Constantine the most Christ-loving, the leader of orthodox rule and the champion of the spotless faith; who, at the same time that he transferred the imperial scepters from the West to the East, had his soul illumined by the divine light. And having anointed his mind with piety, he entered first into contest against the devil; and he established everywhere decrees granting freedom to Christians; he dissolved the dejection that had fallen upon the faithful from the lawless; he cast down the revered objects of the idols; he triumphed over the nonexistence of falsehood; he made manifest the proclamation of the truth; he bestowed honor and boldness upon those who honored the Lord; the bodies of the faithful, injured by scourges, were restored, while those devoted to demons were subjected to torture and exile. And it was possible to behold both the recall of the faithful from persecution and the recovery of those from demonic delusion, resembling an angelic choir, while all with boldness glorified the Lord.
So the most faithful emperor rejoiced at the daily increase of the Christians, reckoning in his mind that all of it was the work of divine activity, which in a short time had drawn those under his rule into the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. For what else also came to aid those times? Since the neighboring nations, having no treaties with the emperors before him, were rising up in revolt, and civil conflicts by their mutual slaughter allowed them no rest, when Constantine received the power of the empire through our Savior Christ, immediately, as if by a command, both the calamities of the nations were calmed and those under his rule embraced peace.
But the enemy who hates what is good could not endure even this advance of mankind toward better understanding. Rather, just as of old he envied the first-created man for his life free from toil, and through the serpent sowed into his hearing disobedience to the commandment, so also then, torn with rage at the conversion to God of those coming from idolatry, he stirred up a spirit of the Python. And this was Arius — Christian in name, and enrolled among the presbyters of the Church of the Alexandrians; entrusted, as it should not have been, with the interpretation of the divine Scriptures; and possessed by vainglory and love of money, the weapons of his father the devil. Seeing that after Peter the victor among martyrs and equal to the apostles among high priests, and Achillas his successor, Alexander the all-holy among presidents and defender of the apostolic dogmas had become head of the Church of Alexandria, he, like some venomous dragon, vomited forth the envy hidden deep within his heart.
Against Alexander himself he was not able to act with insolence; for Alexander was unassailable in life and untouched by every evil, according to the testimony of the Lord concerning Job. What then did this corrupter devise? He armed himself against the dogmas of the venerable man, as though through them he might attack him; and thus he set his mouth against heaven and spoke unrighteousness against the Most High. For while the venerable Alexander confessed that the Son was equal in honor and consubstantial with the Father, Arius, maddened in mind, babbled that the Son was a creature and a thing made, and that there was a time when He was not, and things even more impious than these, which are truly worthy of the depths of silence and oblivion.
Therefore, when the wondrous Alexander saw that the evil was spreading like a sacred disease — for it had recently seized Egypt, the Thebaid, and Libya — and fearing lest it lay hold of the whole body of the faithful, after many exhortations given face to face, which he had offered fatherly to the unruly man, and after various refutations from the divine Scriptures, with which both the Old and the New Testaments abound, perceiving that the impious man was still held fast by the darkness of error, he fled for refuge to Jesus Christ, the One blasphemed by him, asking Him to become an ally for the common cause against this God-fighting attempt. And with fasting and vigils and tears he called upon the Overseer of truth to be his fellow-combatant.
But as the impious man became even more savage and turbulent, Alexander summoned many others as sharers in the danger, and made use of letters to the bishops in every place, making known the monstrous offspring against Orthodoxy conceived in the heart of Arius. Therefore he fortified their hearing beforehand, lest any be swept away into the abyss of the mind of Arius; and he urged that these things without delay be made known in common to the most mighty sovereign.
When the glorious victor learned of these things, pierced in mind as if by a goad through the profane report of these unlawful matters and struck with grief by the unexpected news, he immediately issued divine decrees, by which he urged both those bishops holding high office and those possessing great influence to come to Nicaea, the metropolis of Bithynia, for an examination of the matters brought before them, for the manifestation of the true and blameless faith, and for the cutting off and complete destruction of the demonic heresy of the evil-minded.
Therefore, when matters had advanced in this way, which bishops were found at that time preserved by the foreknowledge of the life-giving Spirit, and from what province each of those assembled had come, the synodal tome issued by them will make clear to those who read it diligently. Thus the Holy Fathers, like industrious bees, each rising up from his own Church as from flower-filled meadows, arrived at Nicaea, the place that forged the Symbol of Orthodoxy.
And the divine Constantine, hearing of the arrival of the Holy Fathers — a presence venerable even to angels — immediately from the very forecourts honored them with fitting distinctions, and having sent ahead certain members of the sacred senate, through their attentiveness and the suitable provision of necessities he secured for them complete freedom from care. When he learned that all matters concerning the care of the Fathers were in good order, then he himself came to Nicaea, withdrawing himself with sober judgment from outward disturbances, as was fitting concerning a divine matter and the salvation of souls, and joined himself to the spiritual assembly of the Holy Fathers.
For indeed some of them excelled in apostolic gifts, while others bore in their bodies the marks of Christ, concerning whom I shall set forth a few things for the fuller knowledge and spiritual benefit of those who read about the saints. Thus the venerable Jacob, president of the Nisibenes, freed many from diseases, and is testified also to have raised the dead. And Paul, the holy bishop of Neocaesarea in Euphratesia, had lost the generative members of his body through fire, having become a plaything of the madness of Licinius. Likewise Paphnutios the Egyptian, a wonderworking man, and many others among these saints — some had their eyes gouged out, others had their hamstrings cut, while others had their hands and feet injured by chains made from raw leather straps.
But the enemy of all good, seeing this heavenly choir of saints upon the earth, did not permit it to remain entirely untried by his own stings. Rather, just as he once established Judas among the apostles as a betrayer of the Master, so also into the company of the saints he introduced wolves from Arabia concealed in sheep’s skins — I mean Menophantus of Ephesus, and Patrophilus from Scythopolis, and Theonas from Marmarica, together with a few other disciples of the madness of Arius, concerning whom more shall be said later.
And when it was necessary to investigate that which had conceived falsehood against the truth, and a suitable place for the assembly was sought, the most mighty emperor set apart a vast hall of the palace there — the very eye, so to speak, of the imperial chambers, whose beauty and dignity have been preserved even unto our own times through the protection of the Holy Fathers — and dedicated it to the holy synod as a first-fruit of the imperial residences. There he ordered seats equal in number to the Fathers to be set forth, honoring both the repose due to old age and the dignity of the priesthood.
When all things had been prepared for them, the mighty emperor entered. He did not appear with any proud, exalted, or imperial gesture, but approached with lowered brow and gentle step. Greeting the holy men who came to meet him, he embraced them and conversed graciously with them; and with a quiet smile, displaying the flower of meekness, he showed the bright disposition of his soul at the gathering of the saints. The greatness of his condescension toward the Fathers was further shown by the small stool set lower than the episcopal seats, upon which he himself sat in their midst.
When the venerable Fathers and the God-revering emperor had thus taken their places, Eustathios, the head of the Antiochenes — for the holy synod had appointed him to address the emperor — said:
"We give thanks to God, most mighty emperor, who governs the earthly kingdom together with you; who through you has abolished the delusion of idols and established among the faithful a spirit of boldness and confidence. The smoke of demons has ceased; the revered practices of Greek polytheism have been overthrown. The darkness of ignorance is driven away; the inhabited world is illumined by the light of the knowledge of God. The Father is glorified; the Son is worshipped together with Him; the Holy Spirit is proclaimed. A consubstantial Trinity, one Divinity in three persons and hypostases, is preached.
By this, emperor, your rule of piety is fortified; preserve this for us inviolable. Let no heretic, slipping into the Church, take away anything from the Trinity, leaving what remains dishonored. Arius, whose name is synonymous with madness, has become for us the cause of this discourse and assembly. Though we do not know how he came to be enrolled among the presbyters of the Church of Alexandria, he escaped our notice while being alien to the teaching of the thrice-blessed prophets and apostles. For he is not ashamed to deprive the Only-Begotten Son and Word of the Father of consubstantiality with the Father, and this worshipper of creation hastens to count the Creator among created things.
Persuade him, sovereign ruler, if he changes his mind, not to oppose the apostolic teachings; otherwise, if he remains fixed in the impieties of the false dogma in which he has been caught, remove him completely from the dwelling-place of Christ and of us, lest by his murky sophistries he make prey of the souls of the simpler people."
But the most serene Constantine, judging from the swiftness of their assembly the fervor they possessed concerning the faith, and addressing words of concord to them as a loving son to fathers, said:
“Venerable Fathers, let us with every diligence and harmony bring about the clarification and understanding of the truth through the prophetic declarations and the apostolic traditions, putting away every unseemly hatred among brethren and all vainglory. For it is dreadful that, after the impiety of polytheism has been overthrown, our enemies subdued, and civil wars brought to an end, the faithful should strike one another not with swords but with doctrines, and that we should attempt to distort the evangelical teaching — simple and without artifice as it is, possessing its power not in words but in deeds — by wearisome disputations and elaborate varieties of expression.
Therefore, entrusting to God the Father, and to the Only-Begotten Son of the Father, and to the life-giving Spirit, the revelation of the matters now under examination among us, let us proceed with the inquiry. For we ourselves will gladly remain with you and share in your struggles until the complete revelation of the truth. For we believe that the visitation of the life-giving Spirit will prosper among us, through whom our saving faith shall obtain firmness, untouched by every heretical opinion and free from every evil conception concerning the divine.”
From that point the multitude of the renowned Fathers, strengthened by the life-giving Spirit present among them, proceeded unanimously to the examination and clarification of the Orthodox faith. And, striking Arius with the sharpness of irresistible proofs from the testimonies found in both the Old and the New Testament concerning the Son being consubstantial with the Father, they declared him outside the sound faith and outside the holy Church, subjecting him to anathema together with his writings and teachings.
Thus they composed the exposition of the truly divine Symbol, shutting out every entrance for heretical evil-thinking, and by each expression overturning the opposing dogma of every heresy — as is clearly evident to all from the account of what was accomplished by the synod in the palace.
But since there still remained for them the question concerning the sovereign feast of days, which until that time was celebrated differently by many — so that some were still at the threshold of the holy fast of the Forty Days, while others were completing the contests of abstinence after it, and others were actually celebrating the very symbols of the saving Resurrection; and while some were wasting away in mourning, in the pouring forth of tears, and in abstinence from foods, others were exulting in the victories of the Master, through which Hades had been destroyed, death abolished, Adam raised up, and Satan bound — concerning this matter also the God-bearing Fathers, instructed by the life-giving Spirit, together with the most mighty Constantine, decreed that the whole Christian people should celebrate in common the holy day of the Resurrection of Christ our God, so that the universal Catholic Church everywhere might preserve for herself one common order both of prayer and abstinence, and also of brightness and festal rejoicing.
And after issuing other ecclesiastical determinations and divine canons, they established the decree of Orthodoxy. When this had been accomplished, the most mighty emperor saw that the holy decree was confirmed by the signatures of each of the Fathers.
Then, after the exposition and public reading of the decree, when almost all had already signed it, something worthy of remembrance took place, both for the glory of those who believed and for the shame of the unbelieving. For two of the venerable bishops, Chrysanthos and Mousonios, had not yet placed their signatures upon the decree, because, by the providence of God, they had departed from this human life. The God-bearing Fathers therefore came to the common place of their burial and, as though the departed were present and listening to what was said, declared:
“O Fathers and brothers, you struggled together with us in the good contest; you finished the race; you kept the faith. If therefore what has been done seems pleasing to God — for now you behold more clearly — has there been any hindrance preventing you also from signing together with us the decree?”
Having spoken these words together, they placed the sealed decree upon the coffin of the venerable men and spent the whole night in vigilant prayer. And on the following day, when they came to the coffin and found the seals still intact, they unrolled the holy decree and discovered that the venerable bishops had inscribed their signatures upon it. Thus it was confessed beyond dispute by everyone, even by outsiders, that that holy choir of the venerable Fathers had been established through the presence and cooperation of the consubstantial Trinity.
But what we omitted earlier was this: while the blasphemy of Arius the fighter-against-God was being triumphantly overthrown by the holy synod, a philosopher of the Greek religion came forward, pretending to champion the cause of Arius’ evil doctrine, not out of love for truth but from contentiousness. Then Menophantus, Patrophilus, Theonas, and the others mentioned above, encouraged by the philosopher’s arguments, uncovered the foul wound of Arius’ abominable impiety and joined themselves to the philosopher, boldly arraying themselves against the truth.
But the Fisherman of fishermen and Savior even of the persecutor worked here also something worthy of His wonders. For He miraculously dissolved the philosopher’s difficult arguments through the silence of speech itself. And He appointed one of the saints — adorned not with worldly wisdom but with angelic conduct — to stand as an opponent against the defender of Greek godlessness and heretical blasphemy.
This saint, imitating the Master’s rebuke which the Lord used against the demons and the sea, cried out to the philosopher, saying: "Be silent; be muzzled." And by that word he rendered the man of many words speechless, so that immediately, seized by muteness, the philosopher came with trembling and fear before the choir of the saints, begging release from his bond and asking for the gift of holy baptism.
Thus the Lord of wonders called the philosopher, together with his whole household, to salvation, and transformed the one who yesterday had accused Orthodoxy into an advocate of the truth. Because of this, those around Menophantus also, astonished by the miracle, seemed willingly to agree with the holy synod concerning the anathema against the impious Arius and his doctrines — though afterward, like raging dogs, they returned again to their own vomit.
So when the holy synod of the three hundred and eighteen Holy Fathers had brought to completion the purpose for which it had assembled, and the passing of time was urging them toward their return, the pious Constantine invited them in turn to share his table, addressed them with exhortatory words, supplied what was lacking for their churches, and granted provisions everywhere for hospitals and homes for the poor. Then, at their departure, he greeted them all together with these words:
“See,” he said, “my devotion toward divine things, according to your teachings, and how zealously I have worked for the destruction of idols, and have labored that the faith of the Christians be proclaimed everywhere, so that no heterodox form of religion might remain among us, but that Christians alone should worship and embrace the holy and consubstantial Trinity. This faith I today hand over to you in sincerity. And may it be the work and concern of your prayers to lead it daily onward and to increase it, with the Lord Himself cooperating.”
Having spoken these things and others like them, he saw that some of them had lost their eyes, others had endured the crippling of their hands, others were bent by the contraction of their sinews, and others had contended through the cutting away of their generative members. And learning that, by persevering in the persecutions for Christ, they preserved upon their visible bodies the remnants of the torments inflicted upon them for the confession of the faith, he venerated the scars of the victorious athletes; he kissed the maimed limbs; and upon the suffering members he would place now the members of his own body, now even the imperial purple robe, believing that he himself was sanctified through them.
He even pressed the pupils of his own eyes against their gouged-out eyes, considering that through them the eye of his mind was enlightened. Thus, after embracing the saints, he departed again for New Rome, proclaiming the upright preaching of the faith.
But the all-holy Fathers, as was fitting, repaid the most mighty emperor with thanksgivings and blessings, through which enlargement of peace is sought, the strengthening of the empire, the establishment of bishops, and the subjugation of enemies. And when they themselves departed from Nicaea, they upheld and strengthened with their prayers the noble generosity of the hospitality shown to them.
And the sign which immediately took place afterward bears witness to this. For when on the next day they were about to offer prayers to the Savior of all for their journey home and for the safety of the city that had received them, it happened that at the place called the “center navel” of the eastern entrance, streams of oil gushed forth around the very center of the apse, near which the choir of the saints was standing. This spring, still visible even in our own time, shows the fruitful result of the prayers offered then. And even now Nicaea is sung of and renowned among so many people because the synod of the three hundred and eighteen Holy Fathers was honored there.
And the extraordinary event that occurred there in our own generation also confirms their zeal and care for the city. For when the Assyrians behaved with ingratitude and ravaged the empire of the Romans through which they themselves had been preserved, laying waste to everything with barbaric savagery, this city alone was preserved untouched by every Babylonian assault. It suffered no capture by fire or sword, neither of men nor women nor infants, though attacks were many times launched against it both secretly and openly.
It is also said that the boastful commander of their army dared with shameless intent to violate the church of those same saints. He rushed in and performed there the abominable pollutions of magic, but afterward was terribly threatened both through a nocturnal vision and through terrifying manifestations shown to him alone during the day. Thus the wretched man changed his mind, honored the temple — or rather Christ Himself, the true God who dwells in the temple — and sought atonement by offerings of lamps. From that time onward he forbade the entire Babylonian army from entering the holy sanctuary, and showed toward those dwelling there an unexpected gentleness inconsistent with barbarian insolence. This became the cause of salvation for many people, even foreigners. For if anyone was captured by them, merely by claiming to be from Nicaea he escaped whatever danger had been hanging over him.
These are the gifts of hospitality bestowed by the Fathers, and they are able to demonstrate to future ages their providential care for Nicaea. These men, like clear rivers flowing forth from the one spring of Nicaea and branching out, returned to their own flocks, bringing as the fruit of that blessed journey the saving Symbol of the world. And after adorning the course of their earthly sojourn with a rich old age and with progress in a life of virtue, they were counted worthy of a blessed end.
And God, the lover of mankind and benefactor who loves His servants — He who glorifies those who glorify Him — after granting their souls the enjoyments laid up in heaven, did not leave even their all-holy bodies without honor; but through a wondrous miracle He also honored these bodies as His own ministers. For He brought upon them the common death as though it were a natural sleep. Therefore the God-bearing bodies of these Fathers remain until now incorrupt in the region of each one’s flock.
And there are many witnesses to these things, people in various places who became eyewitnesses of what is spoken of, and who, when at certain times the coffins of the saints were opened as though in sleep, embraced the saints within them. And we ourselves also are truthful witnesses of such a sight. For concerning the equal-to-the-angels Leontios, the most holy president of the Church of the Caesareans — who shed many sweats for the faith even before his appearance at the synod in Nicaea, through whom many became martyrs and victorious athletes overcoming the adversary, and through whose life and teaching many became citizens of heaven — among these also was Gregory the Great among the victorious athletes, the discoverer of the relics of the holy martyrs Rhipsime and Gaiane, and the one who first overthrew the licentious Tiridates and afterward led him to the faith.
Many together with us have seen his precious relic, which had neither cast off its hair nor lost its nails, but was completely filled with the fragrance of myrrh. And let no one be moved to unbelief by these things. For such things, and even greater than these, are gifts of grace, given for the glory of the faithful, for the praise of the Churches, and for the glory of Christ our God, with whom be glory to the Father and to the life-giving Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
ΛΟΓΟΣ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΟΣΙΟΥΣ ΤΙΗ' ΘΕΟΦΟΡΟΥΣ ΠΑΤΕΡΑΣ, ΚΑΙ ΕΙΣ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΝ ΤΟΝ ΕΥΣΕΒЕΣΤΑΤΟΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΑ
ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΥ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΟΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΙΑΣ ΚΑΠΠΑΔΟΚΙΑΣ
ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΥ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΟΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΙΑΣ ΚΑΠΠΑΔΟΚΙΑΣ
Πείθεσθαι τοῖς ἡγουμένοις ἐκ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ἐπιτραπεὶς παραινέσεως, ὦ θεόφιλε, καὶ ὥσπερ τῆς οἰκείας ἐμαυτὸν ἐπιλαθόμενος ἀσθενείας, τὸ τε τοῦ λόγου ὑπεριδὼν ἀκαλλὲς, ὑπετάγην τιμίῳ Πατρὶ, προβαλλομένῳ μοι συγγράψαι διὰ βραχέων περὶ τῆς τῶν ἁγίων τριακοσίων δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ Πατέρων κατὰ Νίκαιαν συνελεύσεως, ἐκδοῦναί τε τῇ κατ' αὐτὸν ἐν Νικαίᾳ ἀγιωτάτῃ Ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἵνα ὧν τῆς ἐν σώματι ἀπήλαυσε παρουσίας, τούτων καὶ τῆς πνευματικῆς ἀγωνίας ἀνάγραπτα φέροι τὰ διηγήματα. Καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐμοὶ κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν εἰρημένα δύναμιν πρὸς τὸ τῆς ἐναρέτου τῶν Πατέρων πολιτείας ὑπέρογκον δρόσου λεπτότητι φαίην ἂν ἐοικέναι πελαγίοις ἁμιλλωμένῃ κύμασι· τῆς ἐκείνου δ' ἂν εἴη τελειότητος μὴ πηλικότητι τῶν ὀνομάτων προσανέχειν τὸν νοῦν, τῷ δὲ προθύμῳ τῆς ὑπακοῆς τὸ τῆς συμπαθείας ἀντιμετρῆσαι φιλότιμον.
Μαξιμιανοῦ καὶ Λικιννίου καὶ Μαξεντίου τῶν ἐν Ῥώμῃ δυσσεβῶς βεβασιλευκότων, καὶ πολλοὺς τῆς τῶν Χριστιανῶν πίστεως θύειν ἀρνησαμένους τοῖς δαίμοσιν, αἰκισμοῖς καὶ θανάτῳ ὑποβαλόντων, ἀξίαν τε τῆς εἰδωλομανίας τὴν καταστροφὴν τοῦ βίου εὑραμένων, παραδόξως ἐκ τῶν Ἑσπερίων ἀνέτειλε, δίκην Εωσφόρου, Κωνσταντίνος ὁ φιλοχριστότατος, ὁ τῆς ὀρθοδόξου πολιτείας ἀρχηγὸς, καὶ τῆς ἀμώμου πίστεως πρόβολος· ὃς ἅμα τῷ τὰ σκῆπτρα ἐκ τῶν Ἑσπερίων ἐπὶ τὴν Ἕω μεταποιῆσαι, τῷ θείῳ φωτὶ τὴν ψυχὴν καταυγάζεται• καὶ τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ τὴν διάνοιαν ἀλειψάμενος πρῶτον ἀγῶνα πρὸς τὸν διάβολον ἀποδύεται· καὶ τίθησι ησι κατὰ τόπον Χριστιανῶν ἐλευθερίας προγράμματα λύει τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἀνόμων τοῖς πιστοῖς ἐνσκήψασαν κατήφειαν · καταβάλλει τῶν εἰδώλων τὰ σεβάσματα• θριαμβεύει τοῦ ψεύδους τὸ ἀνύπαρκτον · φανεροῖ τῆς ἀληθείας τὸ κήρυγμα· μεταδίδωσι τιμῆς καὶ παῤῥησίας τοῖς τετιμηκόσι τὸν Κύριον· ἀναῤῥώννυται σώματα πιστῶν κεκακωμένα ταῖς μάστιξι· στρεβλώσει καὶ ἐξορίαις ὑποβάλλονται οἱ προσκείμενοι ·δαίμοσι. Καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν τῶν τε πιστῶν ἐκ τοῦ διωγμοῦ τὴν ἀνάκλησιν, καὶ τῶν ἐκ τῆς δαιμονικῆς πλάνης τὴν ἀνάνηψιν, ὁμοίαν ἀγγελικῇ χοροστασίᾳ, πάντων ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ δοξολογούντων τὸν Κύριον.
Ἔχαιρεν οὖν ὁ πιστότατος βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τῇ καθημέραν προσθήκῃ τῶν Χριστιανῶν, συμβαλὼν ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ αὐτοῦ θείας εἶναι τὸ πᾶν ἐνεργείας, τῆς ἐν ὀλίγῳ τὸ ὑπήκοον αὐτῷ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἑλκυσαμένης ἐπίγνωσιν. Οἷον γὰρ κἀκεῖνο τοῖς φθάσασι συνέδραμε; Τῶν γὰρ παρακειμένων ἐθνῶν, ἅτε τὰ σπονδῶν [γρ. ἀσπόνδων, vel ex Lip. τὰ σπονδῶν μὴ ἐχόντων] τοῖς πρὸ αὐτοῦ βασιλεῦσι ἐπανισταμένων, καὶ τῶν ἐμφυλίων στάσεων ταῖς ἀλληλοφονίαις μὴ παρεχομένων αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν, ἡνίκα Κωνσταντῖνος διὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Χριστοῦ τὸ τῆς βασιλείας ἀνεδέξατο κράτος, εὐθὺς ὡς ἐκ προστάγματος, καὶ τὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν δεινὰ κατελώφησε, καὶ τὸ ὑπήκοον τὴν εἰρήνην ἠσπάσατο. Ὁ δὲ μισόκαλος ἐχθρὸς οὐδὲ ταύτην ἤνεγκε τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ κρείττονα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπίγνωσιν· ἀλλ ̓ ὥσπερ πάλαι τῷ πρωτοπλάστῳ τῆς ἀπόνου ζωῆς διεφθόνησε, καὶ διὰ τοῦ ὄφέως τῇ ἀκοῇ τὴν παρακοὴν τῆς ἐντολῆς ἐνέσπειρεν, οὕτω καὶ τότε σπαραχθεὶς ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἐξ εἰδωλολατρείας πρὸς Θεὸν ἐπιστροφῇ, ἐγείρει πνεῦμα Πύθωνος. ̓́Αρειος δὲ ἦν οὗτος - Χριστιανὸς μὲν τὴν προσηγορίαν, καὶ τῷ πρεσβυτερίῳ τῆς ̓Αλεξανδρέων Ἐxκλησίας καταλεγόμενος· τὴν τε τῶν θείων Γραφῶν, ὡς οὐκ ὄφελον, πεπιστευμένος ὑφήγησιν· κενοδοξίᾳ τε καὶ φιλαργυρίᾳ, τοῖς ὅπλοις τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ τοῦ διαβόλου, κατεχόμενος· ὃς θεασάμενος ὡς μετὰ Πέτρον τὸν ἐν μάρτυσι νικηφόρον, καὶ ἐν ἀρχιερεῦσιν ἰσαπόστολον, καὶ Ἀχιλλᾶν τὸν τούτου διάδοχον, ̓Αλέξανδρος ὁ ἐν προέδροις πάναγνος, καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων ὑπέρμαχος, τῆς Αλεξανδρέων προέστη Ἐκκλησίας, ὥσπερ τις ἰοβόλος δράκων τὸν ἐνδομυχοῦντα τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ τῆς βασκανίας ἐξέμεσε. Καὶ κατὰ ̓Αλεξάνδρου μὲν, οὐχ οἷός τε ἦν αὐθαδιάσαι· ἀνάλωτος γὰρ κατὰ τὸν βίον ὁ ̓Αλέξανδρος, καὶ πάσης κακίας ἀμέτοχος, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Ἰὼβ ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου μαρτυρίαν. Τί οὖν ὁ ἀλητήριος μηχανᾶται; Κατὰ τῶν δογμάτων τοῦ ὁσίου ὁπλίζεται, ὡς διὰ τούτων αὐτοῦ καθαψόμενος· καὶ οὕτω · τίθησιν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ λαλεῖ κατὰ τοῦ Ὑψίστου ἀδικίαν.» Τοῦ γὰρ ὁσίου ̓Αλεξάνδρου ὁμότιμον καὶ ὁμοούσιον τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρὶ καθομολογοῦντος, ἄντικρυς ὁ φρενοβλαβής ̓́Αρειος κτίσμα καὶ ποίημα τὸν Υἱὸν ἐληρώδησε· καὶ ὅτι ἦν ποτὲ ὅτε οὐκ ἦν, καὶ τὰ τούτων ἀσεβέστερα, ἅπερ σιωπῆς ὄντως καὶ λήθης βυθῶν εἰσιν ἄξια.
Ἰδὼν οὖν ̓Αλέξανδρος ὁ θεσπέσιος ὡς δίκην ἱερᾶς νόσου ἐπινέμεται τὸ κακόν· ἥψατο γὰρ Αἰγύπτου καὶ Θηβαΐδος καὶ Λιβύης τῶν ἔναγχος· καὶ δεδοικὼς μὴ τοῦ παντὸς τῶν πιστῶν περιδράξηται σώματος, μετὰ πολλὰς τὰς κατὰ πρόσωπον παραινέσεις, ἃς τῷ ἀτιθάσσῳ πατρικῶς προσήγαγε, μετὰ ποικίλους τοὺς διὰ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν ἐλέγχους οἷς ἥ τε Παλαιὰ ἤ τε Καινὴ ἐναβρύνεται· γνοὺς τὸν ἀσεβῆ ἔτι τῷ τῆς πλάνης ζόφῳ κατεχό μενον, ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν παρὰ ἐκείνου Cὑβριζόμενον καταφεύγει, βοηθὸν αὐτὸν τῷ κοινῷ γενέσθαι κατὰ τῆς θεομάχου ἐγχειρήσεως· νηστείᾳ τε καὶ ἀγρυπνίᾳ καὶ δάκρυσι τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπόπτην ἐπικαλεῖται σύμμαχον. Τοῦ δὲ δυσσεβοῦς μᾶλλον ἀγριωμένου καὶ παφλάζοντος, κοινωνοὺς ὁ ̓Αλέξανδρος τοῦ κινδύνου προσκαλεῖται πλείονας, καὶ γράμμασι πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ τόπον ἐπισκόπους κέχρηται, καὶ μηνύει τὰ τερατώδη τῆς ̓Αρείου καρδίας κατὰ τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας κυήματα. Διὸ προασφαλίζεται μὲν αὐτῶν τὰς ἀκοὰς πρὸς τὸ μὴ παρασυρῆναί τινας ἀπὸ τῆς χαράδρας τῆς ̓Αρείου φρονήσεως· παροτρύνει δὲ τῷ κοινῷ [ἴσ. κοινῶς] ἀμελλητὶ ταῦτα τῷ κρατίστῳ γνωρίσαι δεσπότῃ. Τούτων οὖν ὁ καλλίνικος ἐν γνώσει γενόμενος, ὥσπερ κέντρῳ τῇ βεβήλῳ τῶν ἀδήλων, τῇ τε ἀνιαρᾷ τῶν ἀδοκήτων ἀκοῇ πληγεὶς τὴν διάνοιαν, παραχρῆμα θείαις κέχρηται κεραίαις, δι' ὧν τοὺς τε ἐν τέλει καὶ τοὺς δυνατῶς ἔχοντας τῶν ἐπισκόπων τὴν Νίκαιαν τῶν Βιθυνῶν μητρόπολιν κατα· λαμβάνειν [λείπ. προτρέπεται] πρὸς ἐξέτασιν τῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἡκόντων, καὶ φανέρωσιν μὲν τῆς ἀληθοῦς καὶ ἀμέμπτου πίστεως, ἐκτομὴν δὲ καὶ παντελῆ ἀφανισμὸν τῆς δαιμονιώδους τῶν κακοδόξων αἱρέσεως.
Τούτων οὖν οὕτω προβεβηκότων, τίνες εὑρέθησαν οἱ τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ τῇ προγνώσει τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ Πνεύματος τηρηθέντες ἐπίσκοποι, καὶ ἐκ ποίας ἕκαστος τῶν συνελθόντων παροικίας ὥρμητο, ὁ παρ' αὐτῶν ἐκτεθεὶς τόμος συνοδικὸς παραστήσει, τοῖς φιλοπόνως ἐντυγχάνουσιν. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἅγιοι Πατέρες, ἄτε μέλισσαί τινες ἐργάτιδες, ὥσπερ ἐκ πολυάνθων λειμώνων, τῶν οἰκείων ἕκαστος ἐκκλησιῶν ἀπαναστάντες Νίκαιαν τὸ συμβολοποιὸν τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας κατειλήφασι χωρίον. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος Κωνσταντίνος, τὴν ἱερὰν καὶ ἀγγέλοις αἰδέσιμον τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων ἥκειν ἀκούσας παρουσίαν, εὐθὺς ἐκ προπυλαίων, ταῖς πρεπούσαις ἐπιθαυμάζει τιμαῖς, καὶ τινας τῆς ἱερᾶς συγκλήτου προαποστείλας, διὰ τῆς ἐπιτηδειότητος, καὶ τῇ καταλλήλῳ τῆς χρείας ἐπιδόσει, περιποιεῖται αὐτοὺς [γρ. αὐτοῖς· ἢ, αὐτῶν] τὸ ἀπερ ́σπαστον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἔγνω καλῶς ἔχειν αὐτῷ τὰ τῆς εἰς τοὺς Πατέρας προνοίας, τηνικαῦτα τὴν οἰκείαν τῇ Νικαίᾳ παρουσίαν δίδωσι, λογισμῷ νηφαλέῳ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἑαυτὸν ἀπαγαγὼν θορύβων, οἷάπερ περὶ θείου πράγματος, καὶ τῆς εἰς ψυχὴν ὁρώσης σωτηρίας, τῷ πρακτικῷ [ἴσ. πνευματικῷ] τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων ἐντευξάμενος συστήματι. Καὶ γὰρ ἦσαν τινες μὲν αὐτῶν ἀποστολικοῖς διαπρέποντες χαρίσμασιν, ἄλλοι δὲ τὰ στίγματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι αὐτῶν περιφέροντες, ἐξ ὧν ὀλίγα παραθήσω πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων περὶ τοὺς ἁγίου, πληροφορίαν καὶ ψυχικὴν ὠφέλειαν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ὅσιος Ἰάκωβος ὁ τῆς Νισσιβηνῶν πρόεδρος πολλοὺς μὲν ἠλευθέρωσε νοσημάτων· μαρτυρεῖται δὲ καὶ νεκροὺς ἀναστῆσαι· ὅ τε Νεοκαισαρείας τῆς Εὐφρατησίας ἐπίσκοπος ὅσιος Παῦλος τὰ γεννητικz τῶν μορίων διὰ πυρὸς ἀπεβάλετο, τῆς Λικινίου μανίας γενόμενος παίγνιον· Παφνούτιός τε ὁ Αἰγύπτιος, ἀνὴρ σημειοφόρος, καὶ ἕτεροι πλείονες τῶν ἁγίων τούτων, οἱ μὲν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐκκέντηντο, ἄλλοι ἀγκύλας διετέτμηντο · ἕτεροι χεῖρας καὶ πόδις ὑπὸ δεσμῶν τῶν ἐξ ὠμῶν ἱμάντων ἐβλάβησαν. Ὁ δὲ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀντίπαλος τὴν οὐράνιον ταύτην τῶν ἁγίων ἐπὶ γῆς θεασάμενος χορείαν, οὐ συνεχώρησε πάντη τῶν οἰκείων κέντρων μένειν ἀπείραστον· ἀλλ ̓ ὥσπερ τὸν Ἰούδαν ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις προδότην τοῦ Δεσπότου κατέστησεν, οὕτω καὶ τῷ θιάσῳ τῶν ἁγίων συνεισήνεγκε λύκους ̓́Αραβας δοραῖς προβάτων ἐγκεκρυμμένους· Μηνόφαντά φημι τὸν Ἐφέσιον, καὶ Πατρόφιλον τὸν ἀπὸ Σκυθοπόλεως, καὶ Θεωνᾶν τὸν ἐκ τῆς Μαρμαρικῆς σὺν ἑτέροις ὀλίγοις μαθηταῖς τῆς ̓Αρείου ἀφροσύνης, περὶ ὧν ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς ῥηθήσεται. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸ κυῆσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐδεῖτο ζητήσεως, καὶ τόπος ἐσκοπεῖτο πρὸς συνέλευσιν ἐπιτήδειος, ἀποτεμὼν ὁ κράτιστος βασιλεὺς τοῦ ἐκεῖσε παλατίου οἶκον παμμεγέθη, τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ὡς εἰπεῖν τῶν βασιλικῶν κοιτώνων, οὗ τὸ περικαλλὲς καὶ κόσμιον μέχρις ἡμῶν τῇ σκέπῃ || τῶν ὁσίων Πατέρων τετήρηται, τοῦτον ὥσπερ ἀπαρχὴν τῶν βασιλείων τῇ ἁγίᾳ ἀπέθετο συνάδῳ, ἔνθα θώκους ἰσαρίθμους προτεθῆναι τοῖς Πατράσιν ἐκέλευσε· τοῦ τε γήρως τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν, καὶ τῆς ἱερωσύνης στέργων τὸ τίμιον. Προβαλοῦσι γοῦν αὐτοῖς ὁ κράτιστος ἐπεισέρχεται βασιλεύς · οὐ σοβαρῷ τινι καὶ ὑπερκειμένῳ καὶ βασιλικῷ βλέπων νεύματι, ἀλλ ̓ ὀφρύϊ συνεσταλμένῃ, καὶ πράῳ τῷ βήματι πρόσεισι· καὶ τοὺς ἁγίους ὑπαντῶντας ἀσπάζεται, καὶ χαριέντως προσομιλεῖ· καὶ ἠρεμαίῳ τινὶ μειδιάματι τὸ τῆς ἐπιεικείας ἄνθος προβαλλό μενος, φαιδρὰν ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἁγίων συστάσει δείκνυτι τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν κατάστασιν. Δηλώσει δὲ τὸ τε πρὸς τοὺς Πατέρας τῆς συγκαταβάσεως ὑψηλὸν, τὸ μεταξὺ τῶν ἐπισκοπικῶν δίφρων ὑποβεβηκὸς ἐντεῦθεν αὐτῷ σκιμπόδιον.
Τῶν οὖν ὁσίων καὶ τοῦ θεοσεβοῦς βασιλέως ίδρυμένων, Εὐστάθιος ὁ τῆς ̓Αντιοχέων· τούτῳ γὰρ τοὺς πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα λόγους ποιεῖσθαι ἡ ἁγία ἐπένευσε σύνοδος· "Εὐχαριστοῦμεν, ἔφη, Θεῷ, κράτιστε βασιλεῦ, τῷ τὴν ἐπίγειον συνιθύνοντί σοι βασιλείαν· τῷ τὴν πλάνην τῶν εἰδώλων διὰ σοῦ καταργήσαντι, καὶ τῶν πιστῶν καταστήσαντι ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ τὸ εὔθυμον. Πέπαυται κνίστα δαιμόνων· καταλέλυται πολυθείας Ἑλληνικῆς τὰ σεβάσματα. Τὸ τῆς ἀγνωσίας ἀπελαύνεται σκότος· τῷ τῆς θεογνωσίας φωτὶ ἡ οἰκουμένη καταυγάζεται. Πατὴρ δοξολογεῖται· Υἱὸς συμπροσκυνεῖται· τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καταγγέλλεται. Τριὰς ὁμοούσιος, μία θεό της ἐν τρισὶ προσώποις καὶ ὑποστάσεσι κηρύττεται. Ταύτῃ τειχίζεται, βασιλεῦ, τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας σου κράτος· ταύτην ἡμῖν ἄσυλον διαφύλαττε. Μηδεὶς αἱρετικὸς ὑποδὺς τὴν Ἑκκλησίαν ἕν τι Τριάδος ἀφαιρείτω, καταλιμπάνων τὸ λειπόμενον ἄτιμον. Ἄρειος ἡμῖν ὁ τῆς μανίας ἐπώνυμος, τοῦ λόγου καὶ τῆς συνελεύσεω; αἴτιος· ὃς, ὡς οὐκ ἴσμεν ὅπως τῷ πρεσβυτερίῳ τῆς ̓Αλεξανδρέων ἐγκαταλεγείς Ἐκκλησίας, ἐλάνθανεν ἡμᾶς, τῆς τῶν τρισμακαρίων προφητῶν καὶ ἀποστόλων διδασκαλίας ὑπάρχων ἀλλότριος. Τὸν γὰρ μονογενῆ Υἱὸν καὶ Λόγον τοῦ Πατρὸς ἀποστερεῖν τῆς ὁμοουσιότητος τοῦ Πατρὸς οὐκ ἐντρέπεται, καὶ τῇ κτίσει τὸν Κτίστην ὁ κτιστο λάτρης, συναριθμεῖν ἐπείγεται. Τοῦτον ἂν πείσειας, αὐτοκράτορ, μεταφρονοῦντα, τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς μὴ ἀντιτείνειν διδαγμασιν, ἢ τοῖς ἐν οἷς ἑάλω κακοδοξίας ἐγκείμενον ἀσεβήμασιν, ἄρδην τῆς Χριστοῦ καὶ ἡμῶν ἀφανίσειας ἐπαύλεως, ὡς ἂν μὴ τῆς θολερᾶς αὐτοῦ λογοθωπείας, τὰς τῶν ἀπλουστέρων ψυχὰς ἐργάσηται θήραμα."
Ὁ δὲ γαληνότατος Κωνσταντῖνος, τῷ τάχει τῆς συνελεύσεως αὐτῶν τὴν περὶ τὴν πίστιν θερμό τητα συμβαλών, καὶ τοὺς τῆς ὁμονοίας λόγους, οἷα Πατράσιν υἱὸς φιλοπάτωρ προσαγαγών· «Αγιοι [γρ. ἄγετε,] Πατέρες, ἔφη, ὅπως πάσῃ σπουδῇ τε καὶ συντονίᾳ τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξίσωσίν τε καὶ κατάληψιν, διὰ τῶν προφητικῶν προῤῥήσεων καὶ ἀποστολικῶν ποιησώμεθα παραδόσεων, πάσης ἀπρεποῦς μισαδελφίας καὶ κενοδοξίας ἐκτός. Δεινὸν γὰρ εἰ τῆς πολυθέου καταλυθείσης ἀσεβείας, καὶ τῶν πολεμίων ἡμῖν ὑποταγέντων, πεπαυμένων δὲ τῶν ἐμφυλίων πολέμων, οὐ ξίφεσιν ἀλλήλους οἱ πιστοὶ, ἀλλὰ δόγμασι βάλλομεν, καὶ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν διδασκαλίαν ἁπλῆν οὖσαν καὶ ἄτεχνον, καὶ οὐκ ἐν λόγοις, ἔργοις δὲ τὴν δύναμιν ἔχουσαν, παιδευμάτων ἀδολεσχίᾳ, καὶ ποικιλίᾳ ῥημάτων παρατρέπειν πειρώμεθα. Τοίνυν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ μονογενεῖ Υἱῷ τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τῷ ζωοποιῷ Πνεύματι, τῶν νῦν ἡμῖν ἐταζομένων τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν ἐπιτρέποντες, ἐχώμεθα τῆς ζητήσεως. Καὶ γὰρ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς συμπαρεἶναι καὶ συμμετασχεῖν ὑμῖν τῶν ἀγώνων, μέχρις τῆς εἰς τέλος τῶν ἀληθῶν ἀποκαλύψεως, προθύμως παρέξομεν. Πιστεύομεν γὰρ, καὶ τὴν τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ Πνεύματος εὐτυχεῖν ἐπιφοίτησιν, δι' ἧς ἡ σωτήριος ἡμῶν πίστις ἕξει τὸ βέβαιον, πάσης αἱρετικῆς ὑπολήψεως ἄληπτος, καὶ πονηρᾶς πρὸς τὸ θεῖον ἐννοίας ἀμέτοχος.»
Ἑντεῦθεν ἡ τῶν ἀοιδίμων Πατέρων πληθὺς, τῷ συνόντι ζωοποιῷ κρατυνομένη Πνεύματι, ὁμονοϊκῶς ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς ὀρθοδόξου πίστεως χωροῦσι ζήτησίν τε καὶ σε φήνειαν · καὶ πολλαῖς τὸν Ἄρειον διὰ τῆς ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ τε καὶ Νέᾳ Διαθήκῃ, περὶ τοῦ ὁμοού σιον εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρὶ μαρτυρίαις, ἄκους ἐξύτητι βαλόντες, ἔξω τῆς ὑγιοῦς πίστεως, καὶ τῆς ἁγίας αὐτὸν ὁρίζουσιν Ἐκκλησίας, ἀναθέματι τοῦτον ὑποβαλόντες, σὺν τοῖς πονήμασιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῖς ῥήμασιν. Οὕτω τε τὴν τοῦ Θείου ὄντως συμβό λου, πάσῃ αἱρετικῇ κακονοίᾳ τὴν παρείσδυσιν ἀποκλείοντες, συνυφαίνουσιν ἔκθεσιν, δι ̓ ἑκάστου ῥητοῦ τὸ παρ ̓ ἑκάστης αἱρέσεως ἀντικείμενον καταργήσαντες φρόνημα· ὡς πᾶσιν εὔδηλον, ἐκ τῆς ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ τῶν πραχθέντων τῇ συνόδῳ ἐξηγήσεως.
Ἐπεὶ δὲ λειπόμενον αὐτοῖς τὸ τῆς κυρίας τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐφαίνετο ζήτημα, πολλοῖς μέχρις ἐκείνων τελουμένης ἀόριστα, ὡς ἐντεῦθεν τοὺς μὲν ἐν προθύροις εἶναι τῆς ἁγίας τῶν νηστειῶν τῆς τεσσαρακοστῆς ἡμέρας· τοὺς δὲ τὰ μέτα τῶν ἀγώνων τῆς ἐγκρατείας ἀνύειν· ἑτέρους δὲ αὐτά που τὰ τῆς σωτηριώδους ἀναστάσεως ἐπιτελεῖν σύμβολα· καὶ "τοὺς μὲν ἐν κατηφείᾳ καὶ δακρύων ἐκχύσει, καὶ βρωμάτων ἀποχῇ κατεσκληκέναι, τοὺς δὲ ταῖς Δεσποτικαῖς ἐναβρύνεσθαι νίκαις, δι' ὧν καταλέλυται ᾄδης, καὶ κατήργηται θάνατος, ̓Αδάμ ἀνέστη, καὶ ὁ Σατανᾶς ἐδεσμεύθη· καὶ περὶ τούτου τῷ ζωοποιῷ Πνεύματι II καταρτισθέντες οἱ θεοφόρο: Πατέρες, κοινὴν ἄγειν ἅπαντας τὴν ἁγίαν τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἡμέραν Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, σὺν τῷ κρατίστῳ Κωνσταντίνῳ, τὸ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐθέσπισαν φῦλον· ἐφ ̓ ᾧ, τῆς τε προσευχῆς καὶ ἐγκρατείας, τῆς τε φαιδρότητος, καὶ χορείας τὸν κοινὸν οἶκον τὴν ἁπανταχῆ καθολικὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἑαυτῇ περισώσαιεν. Ἑτέρων τε έκκλησιαστικῶν ζητημάτων καὶ θείων κανόνων ἔκδοσιν ποιησάμενοι, τὸν τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας συνεστήσαντο τόμον. Τούτου τοίνυν γεγονότος, συνεἶδεν ὁ κράτιστος βασιλεὺς, ταῖς ἑκάστου τῶν Πατέρων ὑπογραφαῖς, τὸν ἅγιον κρατύνεσθαι τόμον. Μετὰ γοῦν τὴν ἔκθεσιν καὶ δημοσίαν ἀνάγνωσιν τοῦ τόμου, ἤδη πάντων σχεδὸν ὑπογραψάντων, θαυματοποιεῖταί τι μνήμης ἄξιον, εἰς καύχημα μὲν τῶν πιστευσάντων, πρὸς ἐντροπὴν δὲ τῶν ἀπιστούντων. Δύο γὰρ τῶν ὁσίων ἐπισκόπων, Χρυσάνθου καὶ Μουσωνίου, μήπω τῷ τόμῳ τὰς οἰκείας ὑπογραφὰς ἐνθεμένων, συνέβη προνοίᾳ Θεοῦ, τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων μεταστῆναι. Οἱ οὖν θεοφόροι Πατέρες, ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὸ κοινὸν τῆς κοιμήσεως αὐτῶν χωρίον, ὥσπερ συνοῦσιν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις ὑπακούουσιν, «Ὦ Πατέρες, εἶπον, καὶ ἀδελφοὶ, τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα σὺν ἡμῖν ἠγωνίσασθε· τὸν δρόμον τετελεύκατε· τὴν πίστιν τετηρήκατε. Εἰ τοίνυν κεκρίκατε φίλον Θεῷ τὸ γενόμενον· νῦν γὰρ καθαρώτερον ἐποπτεύετε· μή τι κώλυμα γέγονε, τοῦ μὴ καὶ ὑμᾶς τῷ νόμῳ συνυποσημείνασθαι;» Ταῦτα ὁμοῦ τε ἔφασαν, καὶ τὸν τόμον ἐσφραγισμένον τῇ σορῷ τῶν ὁσίων παραθέ· μενοι, πᾶσαν ἐκείνην ἐν ἀγρύπνῳ προσευχῇ διατελοῦσι τὴν νύκτα· καὶ τῇ ἑξῆς μέχρι τῆς σορού γενόμενοι, καὶ τῶν σφραγίδων ἐπικειμένων σώων Ο ἀνελίξαντο τὸν ἅγιον τόμον, καὶ εὗρον τῶν ὁσίων ἐπισκόπων ἐνταγείσας αὐτῷ τὰς ὑπογραφάς· ὡς ἀδικάστως ὁμολογεῖσθαι παρ' ἑκάστῳ, καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν, παρουσίᾳ καὶ συνεργίᾳ τῆς ὁμοουσίου Τριάδος, τὸν ἅγιον ἐκεῖνον τῶν ὁσίων Πατέρων συνεστάναι χορόν.
Ἀλλ ̓ ὅπερ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν παρελείπομεν, τῆς ̓Αρείου τοῦ θεομάχου βλασφημίας παρὰ τῇ ἁγίᾳ συνόδῳ θριαμβευομένης ἐπέβαλε τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς θρησκείας, φιλόσοφος· ἀντιποιούμενος δῆθεν φιλονείκως καὶ οὐ φιλαλήθως, τῆς ̓Αρείου κακονοίας· ὅτε καὶ Μηνόφαντος, Πατρόφιλός τε καὶ Θεωνᾶς, καὶ ἕτεροι περὶ ὧν ἀνωτέρω εἴρηται, τοῖς συλλογισμοῖς τοῦ φιλοσόφου ἀναπτερωθέντες, ἀνεκάλυψαν τὸ δυσῶδες τραῦμα τῆς ̓Αρείου βδελυρίας, καὶ τῷ φιλοσόφῳ προστίθενται κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας θρασυνόμενοι. ̓Αλλ ̓ ὁ τῶν ἁλιέων ἁλιεὺς, καὶ τοῦ διώκτου Σωτήρ, καινοποιεῖ τι κάνταῦθα τῶν ἰδίων τεραστίων ἄξιον. Τοῦ γὰρ φιλοσόφου τῶν προτάσεων τὸ δύσερι τῇ τοῦ λόγου σιωπῇ καταλυθῆναι θανματουργεῖ· καὶ τινα τῶν ἁγίων, οὐ τῇ τοῦ κόσμου σοφίᾳ, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀγγελικῇ πολιτείᾳ κεκοσμημένον, χειροτονεῖ, τῷ τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς ἀθεῖας καὶ αἱρετικῆς βλασφημίας συνηγόρῳ, ἀντίπαλον. Οὗτος, τὴν Δεσποτικὴν ἀπειλὴν μιμησάμενος, ᾗ κατὰ τῶν δαιμόνων καὶ τῆς θαλάσσης ὁ Κύριος φαίνεται χρησάμενος, ὁμοῦ τε προσᾴδει τῷ φιλοσόφῳ προσειπὼν, «Σιώπα, πεφίμωσο,» καὶ τῷ λόγῳ τὸν πολύλογον ἀπέδειξεν ἄλογον· ὡς παραυτίκα τὴν ἀφωνίαν αὐτὸν ὑπελθόντα, τρόμῳ καὶ δέει προσελθεῖν τῷ χορῷ τῶν ἁγίων, αἰτεῖν τε τοῦ δεσμοῦ τὴν λύσιν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος δωρεάν. Οὕτως ὁ τῶν σημείων Κύριος πανοικὶ τὸν φιλόσοφον ἐπὶ τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐκάλεσε· καὶ τὸν χθὲς τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας κατήγορον, συνήγορον τῆς ἀληθείας ἀνέδειξε. Τούτῳ καὶ τοὺς περὶ Μηνόφαντα ἐκπλαγέντας τῷ θαύματι, λόγος ἑκοντὶ δόξαι συναινεῖν τῇ ἁγίᾳ συνόδῳ, ἐπὶ τῷ ἀναθεματισμῷ τοῦ δυσσεβοῦς ̓Αρείου, καὶ τῶν ἐκείνου δογμάτων· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα, κατὰ τοὺς λυττῶντας τῶν κυνῶν, ἐπὶ τὸν ἴδιον ἔμετον ἀνακάμψαι.
Τῆς οὖν ἁγίας συνόδου τῶν τριακοσίων δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἁγίων Πατέρων, πέρας ἐφ ̓ ᾧ συνήθροιστο δεξαμένης, καὶ τοῦ χρόνου πρὸς τὴν ἐπάνοδον αὐτοὺς ἐπείγοντος, ὁ εὐσεβής Κωνσταντῖνος ὁμοτραπέζους ἀμοιβαδὸν αὐτοὺς ποιησάμενος, καὶ λόγοις παραιγετικοῖς χρησάμενος, τότε τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν αὐτῶν ἐνδεὲς θεραπεύσας, νοσοκομείων τε καὶ πτωχοτροφείων σιτηρέσεις ἑκασταχοῦ δωρησάμενος, τοῖς ἐξιτηρίοις τὸ κοινὸν αὐτῶν λόγοις ἐδεξιώσατο· «Ὁρᾶτε εἰπὼν, τὴν ἐμὴν περὶ τὸ θεῖον ταῖς ὑμετέραις κατηχήσεσι λατρείαν, καὶ ὅπως ἐκθύμως τὴν μὲν τῶν εἰδώλων κατάλυσιν εἴργασμαι, τὴν δὲ τῶν Χριστιανῶν πίστιν πανταχοῦ καταγγέλλεσθαι διεσπούδακα, ὡς μηδεμίαν ἑτερόδοξον θρησκείας ἰδέαν ἡμῖν ἀπολείπεσθαι, ἢ μόνους Χριστιανοὺς τὴν ἁγίαν καὶ ὁμοούσιον Τριάδα προσκυνεῖν τε καὶ ἀσπάζεσθαι. Ταύτην ὑμῖν σήμερον εἰλικρινῆ παραδίδωμι. Τῆς δὲ ὑμετέρας εὐχῆς εἴη καὶ μελέτης, πρὸς τὴν καθ' ἡμέραν τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος ἀναγωγὴν [ἴσ. ἀναγαγεῖν] καὶ ἐπαύξησιν.» Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τούτοις ἐοικότα προσειπὼν, καὶ τοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν ὀφθαλμοκόπους ἰδὼν, τινὰς δὲ χειρῶν ἀποναρκώσεις ὑπομείναντας, ἄλλους σπασμῷ τῶν νεύρων συγκεκαμμένους, ἑτέρους τῶν γεννητικῶν μορίων ἀποτομαῖς ἐναθλήσαντας, καὶ μαθὼν ὡς ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ διωγμοῖς ἐγκαρτερήσαντες, τῷ κινδύνῳ τῆς ὁμολογίας λείψανα τῶν ἐπαχθέντων αὐτοῖς αἰκισμῶν τὰ ὁρώμενα σώζουσι, προσεκύνει τῶν ἀθλοφόρων τὰς ὠτειλάς· ἡσπάζετο τῶν μελῶν τὰς ἀποναρκώσεις· τοῖς πεπονθόσι μέλεσι, ποτὲ μὲν τὰ μέλη τοῦ οἰκείου σώματος, ποτὲ δὲ τὴν βα σιλικὴν προσῆπτεν ἁλουργίδα, πιστεύων τούτοις αὐτὸν ἁγιάζεσθαι. Ὃς καὶ τοῖς ἐκκομμένοις ὀφθαλμοῖς τὰς κόρας τῶν ἰδίων ὄψεων παρετίθετο, ἐπέχων ἐκεῖθεν τὸν τῆς διανοίας αὐτοῦ φωτίζεσθαι ὀφθαλμόν· οὕτω τοὺς ἁγίους ἀσπασάμενος, ἐπὶ τὴν νέαν ἐπανέζευξε Ῥώμην, τῷ ὀρθῷ τῆς πίστεως ἐπαγγελόμενος [γρ. ἐπαγγελλόμενος] κηρύγματι.
Οἱ δὲ πανάγιοι Πατέρες, ὡς ἔδει, τὸν κράτιστον εὐχαριστίαις καὶ ταῖς εὐλογίαις ἀμειψάμενοι, δι' ὧν εἰρήνης αἰτεῖται πλατυσμὸς, καὶ βασιλείας κραταίωσις, τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἡ σύστασις, καὶ πολεμίων ὑπόπτωσις, ἀπάραντες καὶ αὐτοὶ τῆς Νικαίας, τὸ τῆς ξενίας φιλότιμον ταῖς προσευχαῖς ὑπήρεισάν τε καὶ ἐκραταίωσαν. Καὶ μαρτυρεῖ τὸ παραυτίκα γεγονὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ σημεῖον. Μελλόντων γὰρ αὐτῶν τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ, τῷ Σωτῆρι τῶν ὅλων, ὑπέρ τε τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ οἴκοι πορείας, σωτηρίας τε τῆς ὑποδεξαμένης πόλεως ἀναπέμπειν εὐχὰς, συνέβη κατὰ τὸν λεγόμενον μεσόμφαλον τῆς ἀνατολικῆς εἰσόδου, ἐλαίου πηγὰς ἀναβλῦσαι περὶ τὸ τῆς ἁψίδος μεσαίτατον, περὶ ὃν καὶ ὁ τῶν ἁγίων συνειστήκει χορός· ἥτις μέχρις ἡμῶν φαινομένη, δείκνυσι τῶν τότε προσευχῶν ἔγκαρπα τὰ ἀποτελέσματα. Καὶ νῦν παρὰ τοσούτοις ἄδεται καὶ ὀνομάζεται Νίκαια, παρ' ὅσοις ἡ τῶν ἁγίων τριακοσίων δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ Πατέρων τετίμηται σύνοδος. Τεκμηριώσει δὲ τὴν ἐκείνων ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἀγωνίαν τε καὶ πρόνοιαν, καὶ τὸ κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν γενεὰν ἐπ ̓ αὐτῆς γενόμενον παράδοξον. Τῶν γὰρ ̓Ασσυρίων τρόπῳ χρησαμένων ἀγνώμονι, καὶ δι' ἧς ἐσώθησαν τῶν Ῥωμαίων βασιλείας, ταύτην λυμηναμένων, καὶ πάντα, τἱ γὰρ ἄλλο ή βαρβαρικῷ δαπανώντων φρυάγματι τι, αὕτη πάσης τετήρηται Βαβυλωνικῆς ἐπηρείας ἀπείραστος· οὐ διὰ πυρὸς ἢ μαχαίρας, ἀνδρῶν, ἢ γυναίκῶν, ἢ νηπίων δεξαμένη ἅλωσιν, πολλάκις ἐφεστώτων αὐτῇ λάθρα καὶ κατὰ φανερόν. Λέγεται δὲ, καὶ τὸν ἀλαζόνα τοῦ στρατοῦ αὐτῶν ταξίαρχον ἀναισχύντῳ φρονήματι κατατολμῆσαι τοῦ ναοῦ τῶν αὐτῶν ἁγίων· ὁρμῆσαι δὲ καὶ τῆς μαγείας ἐκεῖ τελέσαι τὰ βδελυκτὰ μιάσματα, καὶ ἀπειλεῖσθαι πικρῶς, διά τε νυκτερινῆς ὄψεως, καὶ τῶν μεθ ̓ ἡμέραν αὐτῷ καὶ μόνῳ δεικνυμένων δειμάτων· ὡς μεταβαλόντα τὸν ἀλητήριον, τὸν μὲν ναὸν, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸν ο κήτορα τοῦ ναοῦ Χριστὸν τὸν ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν τιμᾶν, καὶ λυχνικαΐαι; ἐξιλεώσασθαι· ἐξ ἐκείνου δὲ ἀποκλεῖται τὴν εἴσοδον παντὶ τῷ Βαβυλωνίῳ στρατῷ, τοῦ ἁγίου τεμένους• ξένην τε ἡμερότητα καὶ βαρβαρικῇ μὴ συναίνουσαν θρασύτητι τοῖς ἐν αὐτῇ διαιτωμένοις ἐπιδεῖξαι· ἡ τοῖς πολλοῖς καὶ τῶν ἀλλοδαπῶν σωτηρίας ἐγένετο πρόξενος. Εἰ γὰρ τις ἑάλω παρ ̓ αὐτῶν, μόνον ἐν προσποιήσει Νικαίας εἶναι αὐχήσας, τὸν ὁπωσοῦν ἠρτημένον αὐτῷ παρ' αὐτῶν ἀπεῤῥίψατο κίνδυνον.
Ταῦτα τῶν Πατέρων τῆς ξενίας τὰ χαρίσματα, καὶ τοῖς ἐσομένοις αἰῶσι τὴν ὑπὲρ Νικαίας αὐτῶν προμήθειαν παραστῆσαι δυνάμενα. Οὗτοι καθάπερ ποταμοὶ διαυγεῖς ἐκ μιᾶς κρήνης τῆς Νικαίας διαιρεθέντες, τὸ οἰκεῖον κατειλήφασι ποίμνιον· καρπὸν τῆς μακαρίας ἀποδημίας τὸ τοῦ κόσμου σωτήριον ἐπιφερόμενοι σύμβολον. Ἐν γήρει τε λιπαρῷ, καὶ τῇ προκοπῇ τῆς κατ ̓ ἀρετὴν πολιτείας τὸν τῆς παροικίας καταλαμπρύναντες δόλιχον, τῆς μακαρίας ἠξιώθησαν λήξεως. Ὁ δὲ φιλάνθρωπος Θεὸς καὶ φιλόδουλος εὐεργέτης, «ὁ δοξάζων τοὺς δοξάζοντας αὐτὸν,· τῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἀποκειμένων τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἀξιώσας ἀπολαύσεων, οὐκ ἀφῆκεν αὐτῶν ἀγέραστα καὶ τὰ πάναγνα σώματα· ἀλλὰ παραδόξῳ θαύματι, καὶ διὰ τούτων, ὡς οἰκείους ἐτίμησε λειτουργούς. Τὸν γὰρ κοινὸν θάνατον, ὡς φυσικὸν αὐτοῖς ὕπνον ἐπήγαγεν· ὅθεν μεμενήκασι μέχρι τοῦδε τὰ θεοδόχα τῶν Πατέρων τούτων σώματα, κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστου παροικίαν ἀδιάλυτα. Μάρτυρες δὲ τούτων, ἄλλοι πολλοὶ τυχὸν, κατὰ τόπους αὐτόπται τοῦ λεγομένου γενόμενοι, καὶ τῶν ἁγίων [ἴσ. τοὺς ἁγίους] οἷον ὕπνῳ κατά τινα καιρὸν ἀνοιγομένων αὐτῶν σορῶν, αὐτοὺς ἐν αὐταῖς ἀσπασάμενοι. Καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ, τοῦ τοιούτου θεάματος μάρτυρες ἀψευδεῖς. Τοῦ γὰρ ἰσαγγέλου Λεοντίου τοῦ τῆς Καισαρέων Ἐκκλησίας ἀγιωτάτου προέδρου, οὗ πολλοὶ μὲν καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἐν τῇ κατὰ Νίκαιαν συνόδῳ παρουσίας ἰδρῶτες τῆς πίστεως ἕνεκα καταβέβληνται· πολλοί δὲ δι' αὐτοῦ μάρτυρές τε καὶ ἀθλοφόροι, τὸν ἀντίπαλον κατεπάλαισαν· πολλοί τε τῷ τούτου βίῳ διδασκαλίῳ χρησάμενοι, οὐρανοπολίται γεγόνασι. Τούτων γὰρ εἷς ἐστι καὶ Γρηγόριος ὁ μέγας ἐν ἀθλοφόρεις, ὁ τῶν λειψάνων τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων Ῥιψίμης καὶ Γαϊάνης εὑρετὴς, καὶ τοῦ ἀκολάστου Τηριδάτου καθαιρέτης μὲν τὸ πρότερον, ἀγωγεὺς δὲ πρὸς τὴν πίστιν τὸ δεύτερον. Τούτου τὸ τίμιον λείψανον πλείονες σὺν ἡμῖν ἐωράκασι, μήτε τὰς τρίχας ἀποῤῥιψάμενον, μήτε τοὺς ὄνυχας ἀποβαλόμενον · πάσης μὲν οὖν μύρων εὐωδίας ἀνάπλεων. Καὶ μή τινι ταῦτα τὴν ἀπιστίαν ἐμποιήσῃ. Τοιαῦτα γὰρ καὶ μείζονα τούτων, τῆς χάριτος τὰ δωρή ματα, εἰς καύχημα τῶν πιστῶν, εἰς ἔπαινον τῶ Ἐκκλησιῶν, εἰς δόξαν Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, μεθ ̓ οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ δόξα, καὶ τῷ ζωοποιῷ Πνεύματι, vῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων Αμήν.
Notes:
* Presbyter Gregory of Caesarea was a Byzantine clergyman and author in Cappadocia. While he remains an obscure historical figure, with scholars debating his exact dating between the 8th and 10th centuries, he is primarily celebrated for penning the Life of Saint Gregory the Theologian (P.G. 35), and he is also well-known for his theological panegyric on the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod of Nicaea (P.G. 111).
Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
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