Chapter XXXVII.—Of Theodotus bishop of Antioch.

Theodosius restored the relics of the great luminary of the world to the city which deeply regretted his loss. These events however happened later. 944

Innocent the excellent bishop of Rome p. 157 was succeeded by Bonifacius, Bonifacius by Zosimus and Zosimus by Cælestinus. 945

At Jerusalem after the admirable John the charge of the church was committed to Praylius, a man worthy of his name. 946

At Antioch after the divine Alexander Theodotus, the pearl of purity, succeeded to the supremacy of the church, a man of conspicuous meekness and of exact regularity of life. By him the sect of Apollinarius was admitted to fellowship with the rest of the sheep on the earnest request of its members to be united with the flock. Many of them however continued marked by their former unsoundness. 947

Footnotes

This paragraph belongs more appropriately to the preceding chapter. The relics of Chrysostom were translated in 438.

The accepted order is Innocent I. 402–417; Zosimus 417–418; Boniface I. 418–422; Cælestinus 422–432.

The decision of Honorius in favour of Bonifacius as against Eulalius, both elected by their respective supporters on the death of Zosimus in 418, marks an important point in the interference of temporal princes in the appointments of bishops of Rome. cf. Robertson, i. 498.

Πραΰς = meek, gentle.

Apollinarians survived the condemnation of Apollinarius at Constantinople in 381.

The unsoundness, i.e. the denial of the rational soul, and so of the perfect manhood of the Saviour, is discussed in Dial. I.