DIONYSIAN ERA.

330. New Rome, called later on Constantinople. Death of Lactantius. 336. Athanasius exiled by Constantine. Death of Arius. Marcellus of Ancyra deposed by the Arian faction. Pope Julius (336-352). 337. Baptism and death of Constantine the Great. Athanasius returns to his flock (338).

340. Death of Eusebius of Caesarea and Paul of Thebes. Didymus of Alexandria (340–395).

341. The Semi-Arian Council of Antioch deposes Athanasius and draws up four different formularies of faith. Monastic life introduced into Rome, while Hilarion transplants it into Syria and Palestine.

343. Shabur II., King of Persia, persecutes the Christians. Martyrdom of Symeon, Bishop of Seleucia. Council of Sardica (343, 344). 345. Photinus rejects the errors of the Semi-Arian Council of Antioch, and draws up a fifth formulary of faith, which is altogether Catholic. Opinion of Ammianus Marcellinus on variations in faith.

346. Constantius confirms the restoration of Athanasius. Rigorous
measures taken against the Donatists, Circumcelliones.

350. Constantius sole emperor. Liberius, Pope (352–366).
353. Anti-Nicene Council of Arles. Athanasius condemned.

355. Council of Milan. Despotism of Constantius. Pope Liberius,
Lucifer of Calaris, Hilary of Pictavium, Eusebius of Vercelli,
Dionysius of Milan; the centenarian, Hosius of Corduba, are ex-
iled (356).

356. St. Anthony, father of monastic life, dies. The Arians, Aëtius and Eunomius. Seeming triumph of Arianism.

357-359. Arian Council of Sirmium. Second Sirmian formulary (the first in 351). Semi-Arian Council of Ancyra (358). Arian Council of Sirmium and third formulary. Double synod perfidiously convened by Constantius at Seleucia for the East, and at Rimini for the West (359).

361-363. Attempts of Julian the Apostate against Christianity. His unsuccessful efforts to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem. The Pagans, Libanius, Maximus, Themistius, Ammianus Marcellinus. Athanasius recalled to his diocese, banished once more, and finally recalled for the last time under Jovian. Meletian troubles at Antioch (360).

368. Gradual extinction of Paganism ("Pagani"). Death of St. Hilary of Poitiers. Optatus of Mileve combats the Donatists. 373. Death of St. Athanasius. Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzum, Basil the Great, and Cyril of Jerusalem rise to defend the Nicene Creed. In the West, St. Ambrose replaces the Arian Auxentius in the see of Milan (374).

375. Emperor Gratian refuses the title of "Pontifex Maximus." 379-395. Theodosius the Great succeeds to Valens in the East. Diodore of Tarsus. Damasus, Pope (366-384).

DIONYSIAN ERA.

380. Edict of Emperor Theodosius declaring that the orthodox faith shall be defined according to the professions of Rome and Alexandria. Council of Caesar Augusta (Saragossa) against Priscillian and his followers.

381. Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, which confirms and enlarges the symbol of Nice, concerning the Holy Ghost, and condemns the errors of Apollinaris the Younger. St. Jerome defends the virginity of Mary against Helvidius.

385–398. Siricius, Bishop of Rome. Decretals of Popes. The usurper Maximus causes Priscillian and two of his partisans to be beheaded (385). Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria (385-412). St. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, dies, and is succeeded by John (386-414). Baptism of St. Augustine.

390. Contest between Emperor Theodosius and St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan. Symmachus opposes Christianity. Death of St. Gregory Nazianzen and of Themistius. Jovinian attacks Monasticism and the virginity of Mary (about 390). Nectarius, Patriarch of Constantinople, abolishes the penitentiary.

395-423. Honorius in the West; Arcadius in the East (395-408). St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo-Regius (Hippo, a. D. 396).

397. Death of St. Ambrose. Origenist controversy between John, Bishop of Jerusalem; Rufinus of Aquileia; Jerome of Stridon; and Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis. Theophilus of Alexandria calms it for the moment. St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople (401).

400-401. Jesdedsherd I., King of Persia, persecutes the Christians. Jealousy of Theophilus of Alexandria against St. Chrysostom (401). 402-417. Innocent I., Bishop of Rome. Death of Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis. The Council "of the Oak" deposes St. Chrysostom, who is exiled and afterward recalled (403). New exile, which terminates in death (407). Synesius, Bishop of Ptolemais (410-430).

411. Conference with the Donatists at Carthage.

412–418. Caelestius excommunicated at Carthage (412). Pelagius clears

himself in an equivocal manner in the Councils of Jerusalem and of Diospolis (415). The Councils of Mileve and Carthage condemn Pelagianism (418). Council of Carthage against Pelagius. 420. Bahram V., King of Persia, persecutes the Christians. Frightful executions. Death of St. Jerome. Symeon the Stylite. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus.

430. Death of St. Augustine. Celestine, Bishop of Rome (423-432), proceeds against Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, in consequence of the Twelve Anathemas launched by Cyril of Alexandria.

431. Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus against the errors of Nestorius and those of Pelagius, connected therewith. Opposition of Theodoret.

DIONYSIAN ERA.

433. Union of Cyril and John of Antioch, owing to the Confession of

Faith of Antioch. The Nestorian party sustained by Barsumas,
Bishop of Nisibis (435-489), and Ibas, Bishop of Edessa (436-
457). Death of Nestorius (440).

440-461. Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome. Cyril of Alexandria († 444).
He is succeeded in the patriarchate by Dioscorus (444-451).
Valentinian III. His law declaring the see of Rome the Sedes
Apostolica (445). Public penitentiary discipline for the most
part abolished by Leo the Great.

448. The Council of Constantinople deposes and excommunicates Eu-
tyches as a Monophysite.

449. The Robber Synod of Ephesus. Violence of Dioscorus.

About 450. Death of Vincent of Lerins, author of the celebrated Commonito-
rium.

451. Fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon against the Monophysites.
Dogmatical writings of Pope Leo (451-453). Monophysitic trou-
bles in Palestine. Dioscorus deposed by the Council of Chalcedon;
his death (455). His successor, Proterius, energetically opposes
the Monophysite followers of the priest Timothy Aelurus and
Peter Mongus, who murder him in a ruffianly manner. Peter
the Fuller, Monophysite Patriarch of Antioch.

472-475. Councils of Arles and Lyons against the Predestinarians.
482. Henoticon of Emperor Zeno (479-491).

527-565. Justinian I. dogmatizes like his predecessor, Justin I. (518–527.)
The celebrated Jurisconsult, Tribonianus († 545). Different Mo-
nophysite parties of Phthartolatrae, Agnoetoi, and Apthartodo-
cetae. At the conference of Constantinople (of 533), first public
mention of the works of St. Denys the Areopagite. Errors of
Philoponus (about 560) and of Stephen Niobes.

529-530. Councils of Orange and Valence against the Semi-Pelagians. Rule
of St. Benedict of Nursia.

541-578. Jacob Baradai and the Jacobites.

544. Controversy on the Three Chapters, on account of Theodore of
Mopsuestia, Theodoret, and Ibas; dogmatical edict of the empe-
ror, who condemns Origen (541); another edict against the Three
Chapters (544). Checkered career of Pope Vigilius (from 540-
555). His Judicatum and Constitutum. The advocates of the
Three Chapters: Facundus, Bishop of Hermiane, the Deacon
Rusticus, and Fulgentius Ferrandus († 551).

553. Fifth Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, which condemns the
Three Chapters.

556. Denys the Little dies at Rome. He prepared a collection of eccle-
siastical legislation (about 510). John the Scholastic dies at
Constantinople (578).

563. The Council of Braga enacts very severe laws against the Priscil-

lianists.

590-604. Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, takes the title of "Servus Ser-

DIONYSIAN ERA.

vorum Dei," in opposition to the title of "Ecumenical Bishop," usurped by John the Faster, Patriarch of Constantinople (582–595). 611-641. Emperor Heraclius makes another attempt to bring back the Monophysites, and is sustained therein by Theodore, Bishop of Pharan, and Sergius, Patriarch of Constantinople. On the other hand, Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem († 638), and the learned abbot Maximus oppose his dogmatizing tendencies.

622. The Hegira of the Mohammedans, who take Jerusalem (637). 625-638. The imprudent course of Pope Honorius in the case of the Monothelites.

638. Dogmatical edict of Heraclius. *EKEOIS TÕS TIOTEWS.

648. Dogmatical edict, or the rúños, of Constans II. The Lateran Council, held at Rome under Martin I. (649), condemns the two edicts and their defenders.

680. Sixth Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, which condemns the Monothelites.

692. The Trullan Council at Constantinople confirms the canons already in force, and draws up several disciplinary canons, among which there are some that contribute, later on, toward the separation of the Church of the East and that of the West.

III. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

OF THE COUNCILS DURING THE FIRST PERIOD.*

IN THE FIRST CENTURY.

Jerusalem, between 50-52. Council of the Apostles. Prototype of all Councils (Acts xv.)

IN THE SECOND CENTURY.

Hierapolis, between 160-180, against the Montanists and Theodotus the Tanner; at Rome, in Palestine (Jerusalem and Caesarea), in Pontus, Osroene, Mesopotamia, Corinth, all toward the end of the second century, on the celebration of Easter. Other synods at Rome, in Sicily, at Ephesus, Lyons, and in Africa, are doubtful.

Conf. Hefele, History of Councils, Vol. I., p. 69-77.

IN THE THIRD CENTURY.

Carthage, between 218-222. Alexandria, 231 and 235. Iconium, between 231-235. Synnada, about the same time. Lambesus, in Africa, 240. Bostra. about 244. Arabia, 246. Two Asiatic synods. Carthage, 250, 251, 252, 253, in the affairs of Novatian; 255 and 256, on the Baptism of Heretics. Rome, 251. Narbonne, between 255-260. Arsinoe, in Egypt, 255. Rome, 260. Antioch, 264-269, three synods on account of Paul of Samosata.

IN THE FOURTH CENTURY.

Cirta, 305. Elvira, 305. Alexandria, 306. Carthage, 312. Rome, 313, Arles, 314. Ancyra, 314. Neo-Caesarea, 314-325. Alexandria, 320. Bithynia, 323. Alexandria, 324. Nice, 325 (First Ecumenical). Gangra, between 325341. Carthage, 330. Antioch, 330. Caesarea, 334. Tyre, 335. Jerusalem, 335. Constantinople, 336, 338, or 339. Alexandria, 339. Antioch, 340, 341. Rome, 341. *Sardica, 343. Laodicea, between 343-381. Philippopolis, 343. Milan, 345. Jerusalem and Alexandria, 346. Rome and Milan, 347. Carthage, 345-348. Sirmium, 349, 351. Rome, 353, Arles, 353. Biterrae (Beziers), 356. Sirmium, 357, 358. Antioch, 358. Rimini and Seleucia, 359. 363. Alexandria, 362, 363.

Constantinople, 360. Paris, 361.
Lampsacus, 365. Nicomedia, 366.

Milan, 355.

Ancyra, 358.

Antioch, 361,
Smyrna, 366.

*For the sources, consult the collections of councils, both general and particular, by Mansi, Harduin, etc. Cf. also the works thereon by Cabassutius, Hefele, etc. See also our literature, Vol. I., p. 22, note 1.

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