Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century/Pascentius, steward of of imperial property

Pascentius (1), steward or controller of imperial property in Africa, comes domus regiae, severe in the execution of his office, an Arian and a bitter opponent of the Catholic faith, very troublesome to the simple-minded and perhaps not very highly educated clergy of Carthage. (Possidius, Vit. Aug. c. 17; Böcking, Not. Dign. c. 11, vol. ii. p. 374–393.) He requested St. Augustine to confer with him at Carthage on the subject of religion, a.d. 406, but refused to allow written notes of the discussion to be made, and asserted that Augustine was afraid to declare his opinions. Augustine therefore wrote two letters in succession to give Pascentius an opportunity of reply. Augustine, compelled by his opponent's repeated evasions to declare his own belief, exhibits this in terms closely resembling the Athanasian Creed, its method of illustration, and sometimes its very words (Aug. Ep. 238, 239). Aug. Opp. vol. ii. App. pp. 1153–1162, ed. Migne; Tillem. Mém. vol.

xiii. 164, 165 and note 41; Ceill., vol. ix. pp. 185, 186, 194.

[H.W.P.]