Patrophilus of Scythopolis

Patrophilus was the Arian bishop of Scythopolis in the early-mid 4th century AD. He was an enemy of Athanasius who described him as a πνευματόμαχος or "fighter against the Holy Spirit".[1] When Arius was exiled to Palestine in 323 AD, Patrophilus warmly welcomed him.[2]

Philostorgius lists him among the Arian bishops.[3]

He also trained Eusebius of Emesa in biblical exegesis.[4]

In 354-5 AD he acted together with Acacius of Caesarea to depose the bishop of Jerusalem, Maximus, who supported the Nicene Creed, and replaced him with Cyril, who they thought was also an Arian.[5] He also supervised the exile of Eusebius of Vercelli to Scythopolis - Eusebius calls him his "jailer".

In 359 he was one of a delegation to the emperor Constantius II to protest the depositions of Arian clergy by Basil of Caesarea.[6]

Philostorgius mentions that after his death his body was disinterred and his bones scattered in 361 during the pagan reaction under Julian.[7]

  1. ^ Athanasius, adv. Serap. iv. 7, p. 360
  2. ^ Sozomen, HE, i. 15
  3. ^ Philostorgius, Ecclesiastical History, book 1, section 8a; fragment from Nicetas, Thes. 5.7: in Philip Amidon, Philostorgius: Church History, p.11
  4. ^ Socrates, Church History, book 2, chapter 9
  5. ^ Theophanes, 60B-61B, in Philip Amidon, Philostorgius: Church History p.221; also Sozomen; and also Socrates, HE 2, ch. 38. Theodoret does not mention the incident.
  6. ^ Philostorgius, book 4, section 10; Amidon p.69.
  7. ^ Amidon, p.227