Gregory and Athenodorus

While Origen was carrying on his usual work at Caesarea, many came to him, not only people of the region but also countless pupils from abroad who had left their homelands. Among them we know that the most remarkable were Theodore, who was none other than the Gregory famous among the bishops of our own day, and his brother Athenodorus. They were passionately caught up in Greek and Roman learning, but Origen put into them a love of philosophy and urged them to exchange their former pursuit for the discipline of the things of God. They stayed with him five whole years and made such progress in divine things that, while both were still young, they were judged worthy to be bishops of the churches in Pontus. [a]