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FLAVIANUS.
FLAVIANUS Presbyter of Antioch, having governed that Church during the Arian Persecutions, in the Absence of Meletius his Bishop, was after his Death, in the Year 380, * 1.1 chosen by the oriental Bishops to fill that See, which was not to be looked upon as vacant, since Paulinus, Collegue to Meletius, was yet alive. This Ordination renewed the Schism of the Church of Antioch. The Western Bishops, who of a long time favoured Paulinus, could not endure that a Bishop should be ordained while he lived, against the Agreement made with Meletius, That the Surviver should remain sole Bishop. They complained lowdly of that Inju∣stice; but those who sided with Meletius being the Major part, would not suffer Paulinus, and so nothing was enacted against Flavianus. The Death of Paulinus in the Year 389, did not put an End to the Division of the Church of Antioch; his Party acknowledged Evagrius for their Bishop, whom Paulinus ordained before his Death, and accused Flavianus before Theodo∣sius. This Emperour commanded him to go to Rome, there to be judged: But Flavianus ex∣cused himself because of the Winter, promising to execute the Emperour's Orders in the Spring following. But the Synod of Capua in the Year 390, remitted this Business to Theophilus and the Bishops of Egypt. The Emperour commanded Flavianus to repair to Alexandria, which he refused to do, and answered the Emperour, That if they found fault with his Doctrine he was willing to be judged even by his Enemies; but if the Question was about his Bishoprick, he would not dispute the matter but readily quit it. The Emperour admiring his Constancy, sent him back to Antioch, and suffered him to live quietly: His resolution provoked St. Ambrose, and the Western Bishops: But Theophilus endeavoured to appease that Quarrel by a milder way than a determinate Sentence: Evagrius being dead, no other Bishop was ordained in his room, and there were but few Christians at Antioch, who owned not Flavianus for their Bishop. But he did not communicate with the Western Bishops before the Year 398, when S. Chrysostom undertook to make his Peace with Anastasius Bishop of Rome, and with the Western Bishops. And thus was Flavianus acknowledged by all as the lawfull Bishop of Antioch, and ended his Days in peace, in the Year 404. S. Chrysostom often commends him in his Sermons. He de∣scribes his Journey to the Emperour's Court, to get a Pardon for the People of Antioch; and tells the particulars of the Speech he made. Theodoret also speaks much to his Advantage, and observeth, l. 4. of his History, c. 25. that Diodorus and he maintain'd the Faith of the Church against the Assaults of the Arians. He adds, that Flavianus did not then preach, but furnished Diodorus with Notions and Arguments from Scripture to use in his Sermons; but when he was Bishop of Antioch he preached himself. Theodoret in his Dialogues quotes some places of this Father's Homilies touching the Incarnation; he quotes a Homily upon S. John Baptist, upon the Theophany, and a Homily upon Easter: An Homily upon Judas's Treachery, a Ho∣mily upon S. Luke, and another upon these words. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. None * 1.2 of these Homilies, nor any other of the Works of this holy Bishop are extant, unless perhaps some of his Sermons are among those that are attributed to S. Chrysostom.