Paulinus and Meletius at Antioch

About this time a serious dispute broke out at Antioch in Syria over Meletius. We have already noted that Paulinus, bishop of that city, was not sent into exile because of his outstanding piety, and that Meletius, after being restored by Julian, was banished again by Valens and at last recalled in Gratian’s reign. When he returned to Antioch he found Paulinus much weakened by old age. His followers therefore at once did everything they could to have him joined with that bishop in the office of bishop. When Paulinus declared that “it was against the canons to take as a colleague one who had been ordained by the Arians,” the people resorted to force and had Meletius consecrated in one of the churches outside the city. [a]

When this was done, a great disturbance arose. But afterward the people were brought to agree on the following terms. They gathered those of the clergy who might be thought worthy candidates for the office of bishop, and found that there were six of them, Flavian among them. They bound all of these by an oath not to make any effort to have themselves ordained when either of the two bishops died, but to let the survivor keep undisturbed possession of the dead man’s see. So pledges were given, and the people were at peace and no longer quarreled with one another. The Luciferians, however, separated themselves from the rest, because Meletius, who had been ordained by the Arians, had been admitted to the office of bishop. With the church at Antioch in this state, Meletius had to go to Constantinople.