The Second General Council, and Gregory Steps Down

Soon afterward the emperor called a council of orthodox bishops to confirm the decrees of Nicaea and to elect a bishop for the vacant see of Constantinople. He also summoned the Macedonians to this assembly, for since their doctrines differed only a little from those of the catholic church, he judged that it would be easy to reunite them with it. About a hundred and fifty bishops who hold that the Holy Trinity is of one substance were present at this council, as well as thirty-six of the Macedonian bishops, mostly from the cities of the Hellespont. The chief of these were Eleusius, bishop of Cyzicus, and Marcian, bishop of Lampsacus. The other party was led by Timothy, who had succeeded his brother Peter in the see of Alexandria; by Meletius, bishop of Antioch, who had come to Constantinople a short time before on account of Gregory’s election; and by Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, who had by this time given up the Macedonian views he once held. Ascholius, bishop of Thessalonica, Diodorus, bishop of Tarsus, and Acacius, bishop of Beroea, were also present at the council. These held with one mind to the decrees of Nicaea. They urged Eleusius and his party to accept them, and at the same time reminded them of the embassy they had once sent to Liberius, and of the confession they had delivered to him through Eustathius, Silvanus, and Theophilus, as has been told. But the Macedonians declared openly that they would never admit that the Son is of one substance with the Father, whatever confession they might once have made to Liberius, and they withdrew at once. They then wrote to their supporters in every city, urging them not to accept the doctrine of Nicaea. [a]

The bishops who remained at Constantinople now turned to electing a bishop for that city. It is said that the emperor, out of deep admiration for Gregory’s holiness and eloquence, judged him worthy of this bishopric, and that most of the synod, out of reverence for his virtue, were of the same opinion. At first Gregory agreed to take charge of the church of Constantinople. But afterward, when he learned that some of the bishops, especially those of Egypt, objected to the election, he withdrew his consent. For my part, I find this wisest of men worthy of admiration, not only for his gifts in every respect, but not least for how he acted in these circumstances. His eloquence did not make him proud, and empty glory did not lead him to want control of a church that he had received when it was no longer in danger. He gave up his appointment to the bishops when it was asked of him, and he never complained of his many labors or of the dangers he had faced in putting down heresies. Had he kept the bishopric of Constantinople, it would have harmed no one, since another bishop had been appointed in his place at Nazianzus. But the council, in strict obedience to the laws of the fathers and the order of the church, took back from him, with his own consent, the trust that had been placed in him, and made no exception even for so eminent a man. The emperor and the priests then went on to elect another bishop, which they considered the most important business before them, and the emperor urged that careful inquiry be made, so that the most excellent and best man might be entrusted with the high priesthood of the great and royal city. But the council was divided in opinion, for each of its members wanted to see one of his own friends ordained over the church. [b]