Eusebius of Emesa, and Athanasius Flees to Rome

Eusebius, surnamed Emesenus, also attended the council. He came of a noble family of Edessa, a city of Osrhoene. Following the custom of his country, he had learned the holy word from his youth, and afterward was taught the learning of the Greeks by the teachers who then visited his native city. Later he gained a deeper knowledge of the sacred writings under the guidance of Eusebius Pamphilus and of Patrophilus, who presided over the church of Scythopolis. He went to Antioch at the time when Eustathius was deposed on the accusation of Cyrus, and lived on intimate terms with Euphronius, his successor. To escape being raised to the dignity of the priesthood he fled, went to Alexandria, and attended the schools of the philosophers. After learning their way of training, he returned to Antioch and lived with Placitus, the successor of Euphronius. While the council was being held in that city, Eusebius, bishop of Constantinople, begged him to accept the see of Alexandria, for it was thought that by his great reputation for holiness and his consummate eloquence he would easily replace Athanasius in the esteem of the Egyptians. He, however, refused ordination, pleading that otherwise he would only bring on himself the ready hatred of the Alexandrians, who would have no other bishop but Athanasius. So Gregory was appointed to the church of Alexandria, and Eusebius to that of Emesa. [a]

There he suffered from a riot, for the people accused him of practicing the kind of astronomy called astrology. Forced to flee for safety, he went to Laodicea and stayed with George, bishop of that city, who was a close friend of his. Later he went with this bishop to Antioch, and obtained permission from the bishops Placitus and Narcissus to return to Emesa. He was greatly esteemed by the emperor Constantius and went with him on his campaign against the Persians. It is said that God worked miracles through him, as George of Laodicea testifies, who has told these and other things about him. [c] But although he was gifted with so many high qualities, he could not escape the jealousy of those who are irritated at seeing the virtues of others. He had to bear the charge of having embraced the teachings of Sabellius. At this time, however, he voted with the bishops who had gathered at Antioch. [d]

It is said that Maximus, bishop of Jerusalem, purposely stayed away from this council, because he regretted having agreed without realizing it to the deposition of Athanasius. Neither the head of the Roman see nor any representative from the east of Italy or from the regions beyond Rome was present at Antioch. At the same time the Franks laid waste western Gaul, and the provinces of the East, especially Antioch after the synod, were struck by tremendous earthquakes.

After the synod Gregory went to Alexandria with a large body of soldiers, who had orders to give him a safe and undisturbed entrance into the city. The Arians, too, who were eager to have Athanasius driven out, took his side. Athanasius feared that the people might suffer on his account. So he gathered them by night in the church, and when the soldiers came to take possession of the church, with the prayers now over, he first ordered a psalm to be sung. While the psalm was being chanted the soldiers stayed outside and quietly waited for it to end. Meanwhile Athanasius passed out under cover of the singers, made his escape in secret, and fled to Rome. In this way Gregory took possession of the see of Alexandria. The people were enraged, and they burned the church that bore the name of Dionysius, one of their former bishops.