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Our father among the saints '''Eustathius''' was the [[Archbishop]] of Antioch during the [[Arianism|Arian]] conflicts of the first half of the fourth century. He was a firm defender of the Orthodox faith. His [[feast day]] is [[February 21]].
==Life==
Eustathius was born in Side, Pamphylia about the year 270. Little is known of his early life. He became [[Bishop]] of Beroea (modern Aleppo), in Syria, about 320. In 325, he was elevated to Bishop of Antioch by the fathers of the [[First Ecumenical Council[[. St. Eustathius was a learned [[theologians|theologian]] who also had a broad knowledge of secular sciences.
He participated in the First Ecumenical Council in Nicea in 325 and was among the first to preside during the council. He was prominent among the opponents of [[Arius]] and Arianism and zealously fought for the purity of of the Orthodox faith. He continued his battle against the Arians after the council. He refused to welcome any Arian [[priest]]s into his [[diocese]] and conducted a continuous literary attack on them, thus, incurring the hated of the Arians, including [[Eusebius of Caesarea]] and [[Eusebius of Nicomedia]].
In 331, his Arian opponents convinced him to convene a council in Antioch where his enemies, through use of suborned witnesses, accused Eusebius of [[Sabellianism]] and adultery <ref>Philostorgoius, in Photius, "Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgoius". book 2, chapter 7.</ref>. Immediately the Arians [[deposition|deposed]] him without trial, in violation of the Apostolic Rule that accusations against the [[clergy]] must be substantiated by two witnesses. He was exiled to Trajanopolis in Thrace, even though the woman who accused him of adultery came forward and confessed her sin before the clergy and the people.
Although the people of Antioch, who loved and revered him, were indignant over his treatment, Eustathius restrained them and called on them to remain true to the Orthodox faith, as he was accompanied into exile by a large group of his loyal clergy.
St. Eustathius continued his struggle against the Arians with the same zeal while in exile. He reposed in Thrace in 337. In 482, his [[relics]] were translated from Thrace to Antioch, to the great joy of the people of Antioch.
==Reference==
<references/>
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Beroea|
years= 320-325|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=Paulinus of Tyre|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Antioch|Archbishop of Antioch]]|
years=325-332|
after=Eulalius}}
{{end box}}
==Sources==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=100576 OCA: St Eustathius the Archbishop of Antioch]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05627b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Eustathius]
==External links==
*[[w:Eustathius_of_Antioch]]
*[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/196674/Saint-Eustathius-of-Antioch Britannia: Saint Eustathius of Antioch]
[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Antioch]]
==Life==
Eustathius was born in Side, Pamphylia about the year 270. Little is known of his early life. He became [[Bishop]] of Beroea (modern Aleppo), in Syria, about 320. In 325, he was elevated to Bishop of Antioch by the fathers of the [[First Ecumenical Council[[. St. Eustathius was a learned [[theologians|theologian]] who also had a broad knowledge of secular sciences.
He participated in the First Ecumenical Council in Nicea in 325 and was among the first to preside during the council. He was prominent among the opponents of [[Arius]] and Arianism and zealously fought for the purity of of the Orthodox faith. He continued his battle against the Arians after the council. He refused to welcome any Arian [[priest]]s into his [[diocese]] and conducted a continuous literary attack on them, thus, incurring the hated of the Arians, including [[Eusebius of Caesarea]] and [[Eusebius of Nicomedia]].
In 331, his Arian opponents convinced him to convene a council in Antioch where his enemies, through use of suborned witnesses, accused Eusebius of [[Sabellianism]] and adultery <ref>Philostorgoius, in Photius, "Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgoius". book 2, chapter 7.</ref>. Immediately the Arians [[deposition|deposed]] him without trial, in violation of the Apostolic Rule that accusations against the [[clergy]] must be substantiated by two witnesses. He was exiled to Trajanopolis in Thrace, even though the woman who accused him of adultery came forward and confessed her sin before the clergy and the people.
Although the people of Antioch, who loved and revered him, were indignant over his treatment, Eustathius restrained them and called on them to remain true to the Orthodox faith, as he was accompanied into exile by a large group of his loyal clergy.
St. Eustathius continued his struggle against the Arians with the same zeal while in exile. He reposed in Thrace in 337. In 482, his [[relics]] were translated from Thrace to Antioch, to the great joy of the people of Antioch.
==Reference==
<references/>
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Beroea|
years= 320-325|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=Paulinus of Tyre|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Antioch|Archbishop of Antioch]]|
years=325-332|
after=Eulalius}}
{{end box}}
==Sources==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=100576 OCA: St Eustathius the Archbishop of Antioch]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05627b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Eustathius]
==External links==
*[[w:Eustathius_of_Antioch]]
*[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/196674/Saint-Eustathius-of-Antioch Britannia: Saint Eustathius of Antioch]
[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Antioch]]
