The Presbyters Project

Chapter 10, section 4

The letter of the coucnil of Ariminium to the Emperor Constantius.

ὅθεν Οὐρσάκιός τε καὶ Οὐάλης, ἐπειδὴ ἔκπαλαι μέτοχοί τε καὶ σύμφωνοι τοῦ ἀρειανοῦ δόγματος ἦσαν καθεστηκότες καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας κοινωνίας χωρισθέντες ἀπεφάνθησαν, ἧς ἵνα μετάσχωσιν ἐφ' οἷς ἑαυτοῖς συνεγνώκεισαν πλημμελήσαντες μετανοίας τε καὶ συγγνώμης ἠξίουν τυχεῖν, ὡς καὶ τὰ ἔγγραφα τὰ ὑπ' ἐκείνων γεγενημένα μαρτυρεῖ, δι' ὧν ἁπάντων φειδὼ γεγένηται καὶ τῶν ἐγκλημάτων συγγνώμη (ἦν δὲ ὁ καιρὸς καθ' ὃν ταῦτα ἐπράττετο, ὅτε ἐν Μεδιολάνῳ τὸ συνέδριον τῆς συνόδου συνεκροτεῖτο, συμπαρόντων δὲ καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῆς τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας) [...]

(ed. Opitz 1954)

Chapter 10, section 4

The letter of the coucnil of Ariminium to the Emperor Constantius.

Accordingly Ursacius and Valens, since they had been from of old abettors and sympathisers of the Arian dogma, were properly declared separate from our communion, to be admitted to which they asked to be allowed a place of repentance and pardon for the transgressions of which they were conscious, as the documents drawn up by them testify. By which means forgiveness and pardon on all charges has been obtained. Now the time of these transactions was when the council was assembled at Milan, the presbyters of the Roman Church being also present. [...]

(trans. A. Robertson 1891: 455)

Discussion:

The letter mentions the recantation of the Arian bishops from Illyricum, Ursacius of Singidunum and Valens of Mursa. We know that they made it in two phases, one of which was at the council of Milan in 347 held in the presence of the emperor Constans. See Hanson 1988: 313, n. 138.

Place of event:

Region

Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia

City

Milan

About the source:

Author: Athanasius of Alexandria
Title: De synodis Arimini in Italia et Seleuciae in Isauria
Origin: Alexandria (East)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

The letter of the council gathered in Ariminium in 359 that declared the Homoian formula of faith - that is, that in the Trinity the Son is "similar" (homoios) to the Father - is quoted by Athanasius in his De synodis Arimini in Italia et Seleuciae in Isauria, a work written shortly after the council of Arminium in 359 during his third exile. The same letter is also quoted by the ecclesiastical historians: Socrates, Church History II.39, Sozomen, Church History IV.10, and Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Church History II.19.

Edition:

H.G. Opitz ed., Athanasius Werke, vol.2.1, Berlin 1940

Translation:

Athanasius, On the councils of Ariminium and Seleucia, trans. A. Robertosn, [in:] The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, II series, vol. 4, Oxford, New York 1891, 448-480

Bibliography:

R.P.C. Hanson, The search for the Christian doctrine of God: the Arian controversy 318-381, Edinburgh 1988.

Categories:

Travel and change of residence

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

Ecclesiastical administration - Participation in councils and ecclesiastical courts

Ecclesiastical administration - Ecclesiastical envoy

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1647, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1647