The Council at Seleucia in Isauria

After a time, at the suggestion of Eudoxius’s accusers, Constantius ordered the synod to be held at Seleucia. This town of Isauria lies on the seashore and is the chief town of the district. The bishops of the East, and with them those of Pontus in Asia, were ordered to gather there. [a]

The see of Caesarea, the capital of Palestine, was now held by Acacius, who had succeeded Eusebius. He had been condemned by the Council of Sardica, but he had shown contempt for so large an assembly of bishops and refused to accept its sentence against him. At Jerusalem, Macarius, whom I have often mentioned, was succeeded by Maximus, a man famous for his struggles on behalf of religion, for he had lost his right eye and been maimed in his right arm. [b]

When Maximus passed over to the life that knows no old age, Cyril, an earnest champion of the apostolic decrees, was honored with the office of bishop. These men, Acacius and Cyril, quarreled with each other over which of them should have first place, and brought great troubles on the state. Acacius seized on some small pretext, deposed Cyril, and drove him out of Jerusalem. Cyril passed by Antioch, which he found without a pastor, and went on to Tarsus, where he stayed with the excellent Silvanus, then bishop of that see. As soon as Acacius learned of this, he wrote to Silvanus to inform him that Cyril had been deposed. But Silvanus, both out of regard for Cyril and because he was wary of his own people, who greatly enjoyed the visitor’s teaching, refused to forbid him to take part in the services of the church. When they had arrived at Seleucia, Cyril took his place in the council with the party of Basil, Eustathius, Silvanus and the rest. But when Acacius joined the assembled bishops, who numbered one hundred and fifty, he refused to take part in their deliberations until Cyril, as a man stripped of his bishopric, had been put out from among them. Some who were eager for peace begged Cyril to withdraw, promising that once the decrees had been decided they would inquire into his case. He would not give way, and Acacius left them and went out. Then he met Eudoxius, removed his fears, and encouraged him with a promise that he would stand by him as friend and supporter. In this way he kept him from taking part in the council, and set out with him for Constantinople. [d]