heat of the Arian controversy, the enemies of St. Athanasius, the bishop of Alexandria, having appealed against him, to Julius, the Roman Bishop, the latter, in a letter addressed to them, when they had declined appearing at Rome, has these words:-“If Athanasius and others, as you say, were guilty, the matter should have proceeded according to the Canons, and not as it did: we all should have been apprized by letter of it, that a just sentence might have been pronounced
For Bishops and Churches suffered; not common Churches, but such as the Apostles themselves had taught. And why did you not write principally to us concerning the city of Alexandria? Were you ignorant, that it was customary that we should be written to first, that hence the first decision might issue ? If, therefore, suspicions were there (in the East) entertained against that bishop, they should have been reported to us. Now, having done what they pleased, they require that we, without any previous information, should approve their sentence. Such are not the ordinances of Paul : such is not the tradition of our Fathers : it is a new and unexampled conduct." Ep. Julii, Conc. Gen. T. ii. p. 511.-As this epistle is addressed to many Eastern Bishops, it may be presumed to contain the admitted opinions, at this time, of all the Churches.
COUNCIL OF SARDICA,[1] G. C.-A few years after this, in 347, twenty-two years after the Council of Nice, a Synod, assembled at Sardica,-considered sometimes as an append-
- ↑ This Council, at which nearly 300 Bishops were present, was called at the earnest solicitation of St. Athanasius, persecuted by the Arians and Eusebians, who had placed Gregory upon his patriarchal chair of Alexandria. Sardica was a city of Thrace.
