the history of heresies, and their refutation - Catholic Apologetics ...

Lucian. Authors vary regarding the time and place of Constantino’s baptism. Eusebius says that he was
baptized in Nicomedia, a few hours before his death, but other writers assert that he was baptized in
Rome by St. Sylvester, thirteen years before, in the year 324. Cardinal Baronius holds this opinion, and
quotes many authorities in favour of it, and Schelestratus brings forward many Greek and Latin
authorities to prove the same. The generality of authors, however, follow Eusebius, Socrates, Sozymen,
Theodoret, and St. Jerome, Fleury, and Orsi, and especially Noel Alexander, who answers the arguments
of Baronius, and cites for his own opinion St. Ambrose, St. Isidore, Papebrock and the fathers of St. Maur.
These last say that Constantino, being near his end, in Nicomedia, wished to receive from the bishops, in
the church of St. Lucian, the imposition of hands a ceremony then in use previous to baptism, and
practised with every catechumen.
(20) Baroniu, Soc. Sozymen, Libellus, Marcel. & Fausti, p. 19; St. Epiplian. Loc. Cit.
He was then carried to a castle, called Aquirion, a little distant from Nicomedia, and, having summoned
the bishops, he received baptism with the greatest devotion. " Now," said he, " I feel myself truly happy."
His officers then came to him, and, with tears in their eyes, expressed the wish they had for his
restoration to health and long life; but he said, " I have now received the true life, and I have no other
wish but to go and enjoy God." St. Jerome, in his Chronicle, says that he lapsed into Arian errors, but his
festival is commemorated in the Greek Menalogy, according to Noel Alexander, on the 21st of May, and
the same author wrote a dissertation to prove that he died a good Catholic, and all the ancients, he says,
agree in that opinion with St. Athanasius, St. Hilary, St. Epiphanius, and St. Ambrose; and we have,
likewise, the authority of the Council of Rimini, in the synodal epistle written to the Emperor
Constantius, and quoted by Socrates, Theodoret, Sozymen, and St. Athanasius. Cardinal Orsi remarks
that the baptism of Constantine, by Eusebius, ought not to render his faith suspected, and that this is no
proof of a leaning to Arianism, as St. Jerome suspects, since we see how strenuously he defended the
Council and doctrine of Nice, and especially since he recalled St. Athanasius from exile immediately after
his baptism, notwithstanding the opposition of Eusebius of Nicomedia. Sozymen says that the Emperor
left this order in his will, and that Constantine the Younger, when he sent back St. Athanasius to his see,
declared that, in doing so, he was fulfilling the will of his father; and St. Athanasius attests that, at the
same time, all the other Catholic bishops were reinstated in their sees (21).
29. Constantine died on the feast of Pentecost, the 23rd of May, 337, and divided the empire among his
children and nephews. To Constantius the Elder he left all that was possessed by his father, Constans,
and Gaul, Spain, and Britain besides; to Constantius the Second, Asia, Assyria, and Egypt; and to
Constantius the Youngest, Africa, Italy, and Illyria; and to his nephews, Dalmatius and Hannibalianus,
some provinces of less note.
(21) Socrates; Baron, An. 336; Auctores, cit.; Euseb. Vita Constant.; Schelestr. in Antiquit. &c.
It was the will of the Almighty, however, that Constantino the Younger and Constans died, so the whole
empire fell into the sway of Constantius, a great misfortune for the Church, for he was a violent
persecutor, and Constantius and Constans were its friends (22).
(22) Auctores, cit. ibid.
III.THE EMPEROR CONSTANTIUS PERSECUTES THE CATHOLICS. 30.Eusebius of Nicomedia is
translated to the See of Constantinople; Synods in Alexandria and Antioch. 31. -Council of Sardis. 32-
Council of Aries. 33.-Council of Milan, and Exile of Liberius. 34.~Exile of Osius. 35.-Fall of Osius. 36. -
Pall of Liberius. 37. - First Formula of Sirmium. 38. -Second Formula of Sirmium. 39. -Third Formula of
Sirmium. 40. -Liberius signs the Formula, &c. 41, 42. -He signs the first Formula. 43.-Return of Liberius
to Rome, and Death of Felix. 44. -Division among the Arians. 45-48,-Counoil of Rimini. 49.-Death of
Constantius. 50. -The Empire descends to Julian. The Schism of Lucifer.
30. St. Alexander, Patriarch of Constantinople, died about the year 340, at the age of ninety-eight, and
Paul of Thessalonica was chosen his successor; but Constantius, who now publicly professed himself an
Arian, being absent during the election, was highly indignant on his return to Constantinople, and,
pretending that Paul was unworthy of the bishopric, joined with the Arian party, and had a council
convoked, in which he procured the deposition of Paul and the appointment of Eusebius of Nicomedia,
now, for the second time, translated to a new see, in opposition to the laws of the Church. About the same
time another council was assembled in Alexandria, consisting of about a hundred bishops from Egypt,
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