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The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret (CCEL)

Chapter XII. Of Valentinianus the great Emperor.

Valentinianus, ¹ who shortly afterwards became emperor, was at that time a Tribune and commanded the Hastati quartered in the palace. He made no secret of his zeal for the true religion. On one occasion when the infatuated emperor was going in solemn procession into the sacred enclosure of the Temple of Fortune, on either side of the gates stood the temple servants purifying, as they supposed, all who were coming in, with their sprinkling whisks. As Valentinianus walked before the emperor, he noticed that a drop had fallen on his own cloak and gave the attendant a blow with his fist, “for,” said he, “I am not purified but defiled.” For this deed he won two empires. On seeing what had happened Julian the accursed sent him to a fortress in the desert, and ordered him there to remain, but after the lapse of a year and a few months he received the empire as a reward of his confession of the faith, for not only in the life that is to come does the just Judge honour them that care for holy things, but sometimes even here below He bestows recompense for good deeds, confirming the hope of guerdons yet to be received by what he gives in abundance now.

But the tyrant devised another contrivance against the truth, for when according to ancient custom he had taken his seat upon the imperial throne to distribute gold among the ranks of his soldiery, contrary to custom he had an altar full of hot coals introduced, and incense put upon a table, and ordered each man who was to receive the P. 102 gold first to throw incense on the altar, and then to take the gold from his own right hand. The majority were wholly unaware of the trap thus laid; but those who were forewarned feigned illness and so escaped this cruel snare. Others in their eagerness for the money made light of their salvation while another group abandoned their faith through cowardice.

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Kirchengeschichte (BKV)

5. Die Weihe des Paulinus

S. 176 Allein Lucifer ging nicht nach Alexandrien, sondern begab sich nach Antiochien. Dort führte er mit den beiden Parteien viele Verhandlungen zugunsten der Wiedervereinigung; als er aber sah, daß die Eustathianer unter Führung des Priesters Paulinus beharrlich widersprachen, weihte er ihnen den Paulinus zum Bischof, eine Tat, die keineswegs glücklich war. Denn diese Handlung verlängerte nur die bestehende Spaltung. Letztere dauerte nämlich fünfundachtzig Jahre lang bis zur Regierung des ruhmwürdigen Alexander¹. Nachdem dieser das Steuerruder der antiochenischen Kirche in die Hand genommen, versuchte er jedes Mittel und wendete jegliche Sorgfalt und allen Eifer auf, um die Eintracht wieder herzustellen, und konnte endlich das getrennte Glied wieder mit dem übrigen Körper der Kirche vereinigen. Lucifer blieb, nachdem er die Spaltung vergrößert hatte, noch lange Zeit in Antiochien. Auch Eusebius kam nach Antiochien; als er aber sah, daß die S. 177 Krankheit durch ungeschickte Behandlung unheilbar geworden, segelte er wieder in das Abendland zurück. Lucifer aber fügte nach seiner Rückkehr nach Sardinien den kirchlichen Lehren fremdartige Elemente bei. Diejenigen, welche diese annahmen, haben von ihm den Namen erhalten und wurden lange Zeit hindurch Luciferianer genannt. Endlich erlosch auch diese Lehre und fiel der Vergessenheit anheim.

Das sind die Dinge, die sich nach der Rückkehr der Bischöfe zugetragen haben.