Stephen Breaks with the East

“Know now, my brother, that all the churches in the East and still farther off that were divided before have been united. All those who preside everywhere are of one mind, rejoicing beyond measure in the peace that has come beyond expectation: Demetrianus in Antioch, Theoctistus in Caesarea, Mazabanes in Aelia, Marinus in Tyre since Alexander fell asleep, Heliodorus in Laodicea since Thelymidres went to his rest, Helenus in Tarsus and all the churches of Cilicia, Firmilian and all Cappadocia. I have named only the more prominent bishops, so as not to add length to my letter or weight to my words. [a] All the Syrias, too, and Arabia, which you help on every occasion and to which you have just written, Mesopotamia, Pontus and Bithynia, and, to put it briefly, everyone everywhere is exulting in the harmony and brotherly love and glorifying God.” [e]

So far Dionysius. Stephen completed two years in the ministry and was succeeded by Xystus. Dionysius wrote him a second letter on baptism, in which he makes known both the opinion and the judgment of Stephen and of the other bishops, and speaks of Stephen like this: [f] “He had written earlier about Helenus and Firmilian, and about all those from Cilicia and Cappadocia, and evidently Galatia too, and all the nations bordering on them, that he would not be in communion with them either, for this same reason: because, he says, they rebaptize heretics. [g] And consider the seriousness of the matter. For in fact resolutions have been passed on this point in the largest synods of the bishops, as I learn, that those who come over from heresies should first be instructed and then be washed and cleansed of the filth of the old and unclean leaven. And I wrote to him pleading about all these things.” [h]

And after other things he says: “To our beloved fellow presbyters Dionysius and Philemon also, who had earlier voted with Stephen and were writing to me about the same things, I wrote, briefly before, and now at greater length.” So much for the question we have been describing. [i]