A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

§ 73. Sole Authority of the State Church 409had acquired by her study, she not infrequently appeared withmodesty in the presence of magistrates. Neither did she feelabashed in entering an assembly of men. For all men, on accountof her extraordinary dignity and virtue, admired her the more.Against her envious hostility arose at that time. For as shehad frequent interviews with Orestes [governor of Alexandria]it was calumniously reported among the Christian populace thatit was she who prevented Orestes from being reconciled to thebishop [Cyril]. Some men of this opinion and of a hot-headeddisposition, whose leader was a reader named Peter, waylaid herreturning home. Dragging her from her carriage they took her tothe church called Cæsareum. There they completely stripped herand murdered her with tiles. When they had torn her in pieces, [374]they took her mangled limbs to a place called Cinaron, and therethey burnt them. This affair brought no little opprobrium, notonly upon Cyril but also upon the whole Alexandrian Church.And surely murders, fights, and actions of that sort are altogetheralien to those who hold the things of Christ. These thingshappened in the fourth year of the episcopate of Cyril [415].(d) Socrates, Hist. Ec., VII, 11. (MSG, 67:757.)Novatians and the Church at the beginning of the fifth century.Socrates is the principal authority for the later history of theNovatians. It is probable that his interest in them and evidentsympathy for them were due to some connection with thesect, perhaps in his early years, and he gives many incidentsin their history, otherwise unknown.After Innocent [401-417], Zosimus [417-418] governed the RomanChurch for two years, and after him Boniface [418-422]presided over it for three years. Celestinus [422-432] succeededhim, and this Celestinus took away the churches from the Novatiansat Rome and obliged Rusticula, their bishop, to hold his