Gelasius of Cyzicus
Encyclopedia
Gelasius of Cyzicus was an ecclesiastical writer in the fifth century. The often attributed name Gelasius is an error of Photius I of Constantinople and of the editor of the editio princeps; the anonymous author never mentioned his name.
, and wrote in the Roman
province
of Bithynia
in Asia Minor
, about 475
, to prove against the Eutychians, that the Nicene Fathers
did not teach Monophysitism
. These details he gives us in his preface. Beyond that nothing is known about his personality.
His "Syntagma" or collection of Acts of the First Nicene Council has hitherto been looked upon as the work of a sorry compiler; recent investigations, however, point to its being of some importance. It is divided into three books: book I treats of the Life of Constantine down to 323; book II of History of the Council in thirty-six chapters; of book III only fragments have been published.
The whole of book III was discovered by Cardinal Mai in the Ambrosian Library, and its contents are fully described by Oehler
. The serious study of the sources of Gelasius may be said to have begun with Turner's identification of the long passages taken from Rufinus in book II. A complete analysis of the sources is in Löscheke, whose efforts it would appear, have restored to Gelasius a place among serious Church historians, of which he has been wrongly deprived and have also lent weight to the hitherto generally rejected idea that there was an official record of the Acts of the Council of Nicaea; and further that it was from this record that Dalmatius derived the opening discourse of Constantine, the confession of Hosius
, the dialogue with Phaedo, and the nine dogmatic constitutions, which Hefele
had pronounced "most certainly spurious".
The "John" to whom Gelasius refers, as a forerunner of Theodoret
, is still unidentified; from him were derived the published portions of book III, the letters of Constantine to Arius
, to the Church of Nicomedia
and to Theodotus, all of which Löschcke contends are authentic. He also proves that a comparison of Constantine's letter to the Synod of Tyre
(335), as given by Gelasius and Athanasius, shows Gelasius to give the original, Athanasius an abbreviated version.
Biography and work
The anonymous author was the son of a priest of CyzicusCyzicus
Cyzicus was an ancient town of Mysia in Anatolia in the current Balıkesir Province of Turkey. It was located on the shoreward side of the present Kapıdağ Peninsula , a tombolo which is said to have originally been an island in the Sea of Marmara only to be connected to the mainland in historic...
, and wrote in the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
of Bithynia
Bithynia
Bithynia was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor, adjoining the Propontis, the Thracian Bosporus and the Euxine .-Description:...
in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
, about 475
475
Year 475 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Zeno without colleague...
, to prove against the Eutychians, that the Nicene Fathers
First Council of Nicaea
The First Council of Nicaea was a council of Christian bishops convened in Nicaea in Bithynia by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 325...
did not teach Monophysitism
Monophysitism
Monophysitism , or Monophysiticism, is the Christological position that Jesus Christ has only one nature, his humanity being absorbed by his Deity...
. These details he gives us in his preface. Beyond that nothing is known about his personality.
His "Syntagma" or collection of Acts of the First Nicene Council has hitherto been looked upon as the work of a sorry compiler; recent investigations, however, point to its being of some importance. It is divided into three books: book I treats of the Life of Constantine down to 323; book II of History of the Council in thirty-six chapters; of book III only fragments have been published.
The whole of book III was discovered by Cardinal Mai in the Ambrosian Library, and its contents are fully described by Oehler
Oehler
People with the surname Oehler include:*Hans Oehler , Swiss journalist*Hugo Oehler , American communist*Richard Oehler , German Nietzsche scholar...
. The serious study of the sources of Gelasius may be said to have begun with Turner's identification of the long passages taken from Rufinus in book II. A complete analysis of the sources is in Löscheke, whose efforts it would appear, have restored to Gelasius a place among serious Church historians, of which he has been wrongly deprived and have also lent weight to the hitherto generally rejected idea that there was an official record of the Acts of the Council of Nicaea; and further that it was from this record that Dalmatius derived the opening discourse of Constantine, the confession of Hosius
Hosius
Hosius may refer to:*Hosius of Córdoba, 4th century bishop*Stanislaus Hosius, 16th century cardinal...
, the dialogue with Phaedo, and the nine dogmatic constitutions, which Hefele
Hefele
Hefele:* Melchior Hefele , Austrian-Hungarian architect* Karl Josef von Hefele , a German Roman Catholic theologian, bishop* Hermann Hefele , German historian* Herbert Hefele , astronomer...
had pronounced "most certainly spurious".
The "John" to whom Gelasius refers, as a forerunner of Theodoret
Theodoret
Theodoret of Cyrus or Cyrrhus was an influential author, theologian, and Christian bishop of Cyrrhus, Syria . He played a pivotal role in many early Byzantine church controversies that led to various ecumenical acts and schisms...
, is still unidentified; from him were derived the published portions of book III, the letters of Constantine to Arius
Arius
Arius was a Christian presbyter in Alexandria, Egypt of Libyan origins. His teachings about the nature of the Godhead, which emphasized the Father's divinity over the Son , and his opposition to the Athanasian or Trinitarian Christology, made him a controversial figure in the First Council of...
, to the Church of Nicomedia
Nicomedia
Nicomedia was an ancient city in what is now Turkey, founded in 712/11 BC as a Megarian colony and was originally known as Astacus . After being destroyed by Lysimachus, it was rebuilt by Nicomedes I of Bithynia in 264 BC under the name of Nicomedia, and has ever since been one of the most...
and to Theodotus, all of which Löschcke contends are authentic. He also proves that a comparison of Constantine's letter to the Synod of Tyre
Synod of Tyre
Synod of Tyre may refer to:* The First Synod of Tyre, in 335, which judged the cause of St. Athanasius* The Second Synod of Tyre, in 449, which dealt with the cause of Ibas, Bishop of Edessa....
(335), as given by Gelasius and Athanasius, shows Gelasius to give the original, Athanasius an abbreviated version.