Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 1426
Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria (AD 248-264), writes letters to Philemon, presbyter in Rome, and Dionysius, presbyter (and future bishop) in Rome, concerning the rebaptismal controversy between Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, and Stephen, bishop of Rome; AD 254/257. Account of Eusebius of Caesarea, "Ecclesiastical History", AD 300/324.
VII.7.
 
1. Καὶ ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ δὲ τῶν περὶ βαπτίσματος, ἣν Φιλήμονι τῷ κατὰ Ῥώμην πρεσβυτέρῳ ὁ αὐτὸς γράφει Διονύσιος, ταῦτα παρατίθεται· »ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τοῖς συντάγμασιν καὶ ταῖς παραδόσεσιν τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἐνέτυχον, χραίνων μέν μου πρὸς ὀλίγον τὴν ψυχὴν ταῖς παμμιάροις αὐτῶν ἐνθυμήσεσιν, ὄνησιν δ' οὖν ἀπ' αὐτῶν ταύτην λαμβάνων, τὸ ἐξελέγχειν αὐτοὺς παρ' ἐμαυτῷ καὶ πολὺ πλέον βδελύττεσθαι. 2. καὶ δή τινος ἀδελφοῦ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων με ἀπείργοντος καὶ δεδιττομένου συμφύρεσθαι τῷ τῆς πονηρίας αὐτῶν βορβόρῳ, λυμανεῖσθαι γὰρ τὴν ψυχὴν τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ, καὶ ἀληθῆ γε λέγοντος, ὡς ᾐσθόμην· ὅραμα θεόπεμπτον προσελθὸν ἐπέρρωσέν με, 3. καὶ λόγος πρός με γενόμενος προσέταξεν, διαρρήδην λέγων· «πᾶσιν ἐντύγχανε οἷς ἂν εἰς χεῖρας λάβοις· διευθύνειν γὰρ ἕκαστα καὶ δοκιμάζειν ἱκανὸς εἶ, καί σοι γέγονεν τοῦτο ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ τῆς πίστεως αἴτιον». ἀπεδεξάμην τὸ ὅραμα, ὡς ἀποστολικῇ φωνῇ συντρέχον τῇ λεγούσῃ πρὸς τοὺς δυνατωτέρους <γίνεσθε δόκιμοι τραπεζῖται>«. 4. εἶτά τινα περὶ πασῶν εἰπὼν τῶν αἱρέσεων ἐπιφέρει λέγων· »τοῦτον ἐγὼ τὸν κανόνα καὶ τὸν τύπον παρὰ τοῦ μακαρίου πάπα ἡμῶν Ἡρακλᾶ παρέλαβον. τοὺς γὰρ προσιόντας ἀπὸ τῶν αἱρέσεων, καίτοι τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀποστάντας, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἀποστάντας, ἀλλὰ συνάγεσθαι μὲν δοκοῦντας, καταμηνυθέντας δὲ ὡς προσφοιτῶντάς τινι τῶν ἑτεροδιδασκαλούντων, ἀπελάσας τῆς ἐκκλησίας, δεομένους οὐ προσήκατο, ἕως δημοσίᾳ πάντα ὅσα ἀκηκόασιν παρὰ τοῖς ἀντιδιατιθεμένοις ἐξέφρασαν, καὶ τότε συνήγαγεν αὐτούς, οὐ δεηθεὶς ἐπ' αὐτῶν ἑτέρου βαπτίσματος· τοῦ γὰρ ἁγίου πρότερον παρ' αὐτοῦ τετυχήκεσαν». 5. πάλιν δὲ ἐπὶ πολὺ γυμνάσας τὸ πρόβλημα, ταῦτ' ἐπιλέγει· »μάθηκα καὶ τοῦτο ὅτι μὴ νῦν οἱ ἐν Ἀφρικῇ μόνον τοῦτο παρεισήγαγον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸ πολλοῦ κατὰ τοὺς πρὸ ἡμῶν ἐπισκόπους ἐν ταῖς πολυανθρωποτάταις ἐκκλησίαις καὶ ταῖς συνόδοις τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἐν Ἰκονίῳ καὶ Συνάδοις καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς, τοῦτο ἔδοξεν· ὧν τὰς βουλὰς ἀνατρέπων εἰς ἔριν αὐτοὺς καὶ φιλονεικίαν ἐμβαλεῖν οὐχ ὑπομένω. οὐ γὰρ <μετακινήσεις>, φησίν, <ὅρια τοῦ πλησίον σου, ἃ ἔθεντο οἱ πατέρες σου>«. 6.  Ἡ τετάρτη αὐτοῦ τῶν περὶ βαπτίσματος ἐπιστολῶν πρὸς τὸν κατὰ Ῥώμην ἐγράφη Διονύσιον, τότε μὲν πρεσβείου ἠξιωμένον, οὐκ εἰς μακρὸν δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν τῶν ἐκεῖσε παρειληφότα· ἐξ ἧς γνῶναι πάρεστιν ὅπως καὶ αὐτὸς οὗτος λόγιός τε καὶ θαυμάσιος πρὸς τοῦ κατ' Ἀλεξάνδρειαν Διονυσίου μεμαρτύρηται. [...]
 
(ed. Schwarz 1999: 642-44)
VII.7.
 
1. In the third epistle on baptism which this same Dionysius wrote to Philemon, the Roman presbyter, he relates the following: But I examined the works and traditions of the heretics, defiling my mind for a little time with their abominable opinions, but receiving this benefit from them, that I refuted them by myself, and detested them all the more. 2. And when a certain brother among the presbyters restrained me, fearing that I should be carried away with the filth of their wickedness (for it would defile my soul)—in which also, as I perceived, he spoke the truth,— a vision sent from God came and strengthened me. 3. And the word which came to me commanded me, saying distinctly, "Read everything which you can take in hand, for you are able to correct and prove all; and this has been to you from the beginning the cause of your faith." I received the vision as agreeing with the apostolic word, which says to them that are stronger, "Be skillful money-changers." 4. Then after saying some things concerning all the heresies he adds: I received this rule and ordinance from our blessed father, Heraclas. For those who came over from heresies, although they had apostatized from the Church—or rather had not apostatized, but seemed to meet with them, yet were charged with resorting to some false teacher—when he had expelled them from the Church he did not receive them back, though they entreated for it, until they had publicly reported all things which they had heard from their adversaries; but then he received them without requiring of them another baptism. For they had formerly received the Holy Spirit from him. 5. Again, after treating the question thoroughly, he adds: I have learned also that this is not a novel practice introduced in Africa alone, but that even long ago in the times of the bishops before us this opinion has been adopted in the most populous churches, and in synods of the brethren in Iconium and Synnada, and by many others. To overturn their counsels and throw them into strife and contention, I cannot endure. For it is said, "You shall not remove your neighbor's landmark, which your fathers have set." (Deut 19:14) 6. His fourth epistle on baptism was written to Dionysius of Rome, who was then a presbyter, but not long after received the episcopate of that church. It is evident from what is stated of him by Dionysius of Alexandria, that he also was a learned and admirable man. [...]
 
(trans. A. Cushman McGiffert;  http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250106.htm)

Discussion:

The letter was most probably sent during the pontificate of Stephen, bishop of Rome, that is between 254 and 257. It concerns the conflict between Stephen and Cyprian of Carthage over baptizing the converting heretics.

Place of event:

Region
  • East
  • Rome
City
  • Alexandria

About the source:

Author: Eusebius of Caesarea
Title: Ecclesiastical History, Church History, Historia Ecclesiastica, Ἐκκλεσιαστικὴ ἱστορία
Origin: Caesarea (East)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
Eusebius, from about AD 314 a bishop of Caesarea Maritima in Palestine, was a Church historian and an exegete. His most important work was "Ecclesiastical History," in which he covers the history of the Church from the beginnings to his times. The work was probably started about the time of the Diocletianic persecution, and eventually finished by AD 324.
Edition:
E. Schwartz ed., Eusebius Werke. Zweiter Band, zweiter teil. Die Kirchengeschichte Bucher VI-X, Die Griechischen Christlichen Schriftsteller der Ersten Jahrhunderte, Leipzig 1908.
E. Schwartz ed., Eusebius Werke. Zweiter Band. Die Kirchengeschichte, 1-2, Die Griechischen Christlichen Schriftsteller der Ersten Jahrhunderte. Neue Folge 6, 2nd edition, Berlin 1999.

Categories:

Writing activity - Correspondence
Further ecclesiastical career - Bishop
Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
Education - Theological interest
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1426, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1426