Gregory of Elvira
Encyclopedia
Gregory Bæticus was bishop of Elvira, in the province of Baetica, Spain
, from which he derived his surname.
to the second Sirmian formulation of doctrine, in the year 357. He proved himself at any rate an ardent opponent of Arianism
, stood for the Nicean creed at the Council of Rimini
, and refused to enter into ecclesiatical intercourse with the Arian bishops Ursacius and Valens. He took, in fact, the extreme view, in common with Bishop Lucifer of Calaris (Cagliari), that it was unlawful to make advances to bishops or priests who at any time had been associated with Arianism, or to hold any religious communion with them. This Luciferian party found adherents in Spain, and on the death of Lucifer (370 or 371) Gregory of Elvira became the head and front of the movement. Such at least is the mention found of him in the Libellus precum above referred to, as well as in St. Jerome's chronicle. However, the progress made in Spain was by no means considerable.
He is venerated in Spain as a saint
, his feast being celebrated on 24 April.
, its first editor, did not come from his pen, but was written in Spain at the end of the fourth century. On the other hand early historians of literature, e.g. Quesnel
, and more recently Morin
, have attributed to him the treatise De Fide orthodoxa, which is directed against Arianism, and figures among the works of St. Ambrose and of Vigilius of Thapsus.
The same may be said of the first seven of the twelve books De Trinitate, the authorship of which has been ascribed to Vigilius of Thapsus. A few commentators have also sought to prove that Gregory Bæticus was the writer of the tractatus De Libris Sacarum Scripturarum, published by Pierre Batiffol
(Paris, 1900) as the work of Origen
. It has been impossible to ascertain the authorship in question.
There is preserved a letter to him from Eusebius of Vercelli
. As St. Jerome, in his De Viris Illustribus
, written in 392, does not mention Gregory as being dead, the supposition is that the latter was still living at the time. He must, however, have been then a very old man and cannot in any event have long survived the year 392.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, from which he derived his surname.
Life
Gregory is first met with as Bishop of Elvira (Illiberis) in 375; he is mentioned in the Luciferian "Libellus precum ad Imperatores" as the defender of the Nicean creed, after Bishop Hosius of Cordova had given his assent in SirmiumSirmium
Sirmium was a city in ancient Roman Pannonia. Firstly mentioned in the 4th century BC and originally inhabited by the Illyrians and Celts, it was conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC and subsequently became the capital of the Roman province of Lower Pannonia. In 294 AD, Sirmium was...
to the second Sirmian formulation of doctrine, in the year 357. He proved himself at any rate an ardent opponent of Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
, stood for the Nicean creed at the Council of Rimini
Council of Rimini
The Council of Rimini was an early Christian church synod held in Ariminum ....
, and refused to enter into ecclesiatical intercourse with the Arian bishops Ursacius and Valens. He took, in fact, the extreme view, in common with Bishop Lucifer of Calaris (Cagliari), that it was unlawful to make advances to bishops or priests who at any time had been associated with Arianism, or to hold any religious communion with them. This Luciferian party found adherents in Spain, and on the death of Lucifer (370 or 371) Gregory of Elvira became the head and front of the movement. Such at least is the mention found of him in the Libellus precum above referred to, as well as in St. Jerome's chronicle. However, the progress made in Spain was by no means considerable.
He is venerated in Spain as a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
, his feast being celebrated on 24 April.
Works
Gregory found time also for literary labours. St. Jerome says of him that he wrote, until a very ripe old age, a diversity of treatises composed in simple and ordinary language (mediocri sermone), and produced an excellent book (elegantem librum), De Fide, which is said to be still extant The book De Trinitate seu de Fide (Rome, 1575), which was ascribed to Gregory Bæticus by Achilles StatiusAchilles Statius
Achilles Statius was a Portuguese humanist and writer, since 1555 living in Rome, where he was a secretary of the pope. Achilles Statius is now mostly known from his extensive Latin commentary to Catullus, published in 1566....
, its first editor, did not come from his pen, but was written in Spain at the end of the fourth century. On the other hand early historians of literature, e.g. Quesnel
Pasquier Quesnel
Pasquier Quesnel was a French Jansenist theologian.He was born in Paris, and, after graduating from the Sorbonne with distinction in 1653, he joined the French Oratory in 1657...
, and more recently Morin
Morin
Morin is a common French surname.Prominent people with the surname include:In Canada:* Blain Morin, a Canadian politician and labour union organizer* Claude Morin , a Canadian politician...
, have attributed to him the treatise De Fide orthodoxa, which is directed against Arianism, and figures among the works of St. Ambrose and of Vigilius of Thapsus.
The same may be said of the first seven of the twelve books De Trinitate, the authorship of which has been ascribed to Vigilius of Thapsus. A few commentators have also sought to prove that Gregory Bæticus was the writer of the tractatus De Libris Sacarum Scripturarum, published by Pierre Batiffol
Pierre Batiffol
Pierre Batiffol was a prominent French catholic priest and Church historian, known particularly as a historian of dogma....
(Paris, 1900) as the work of Origen
Origen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
. It has been impossible to ascertain the authorship in question.
There is preserved a letter to him from Eusebius of Vercelli
Eusebius of Vercelli
Eusebius of Vercelli was a bishop and saint in Italy. Along with Athanasius, he affirmed the divinity of Jesus against Arianism.-Biography:...
. As St. Jerome, in his De Viris Illustribus
De Viris Illustribus (Jerome)
De viris illustribus is a collection of short biographies of 135 authors, written in Latin, by the 4th century Latin Church Father Jerome. He completed this work at Bethlehem in 392-3 CE. The work consists of a prologue plus 135 chapters, each consisting of a brief biography. Jerome himself is...
, written in 392, does not mention Gregory as being dead, the supposition is that the latter was still living at the time. He must, however, have been then a very old man and cannot in any event have long survived the year 392.