Letter 184: (Bosporius, Bishop of Colonia in Cappadocia Secunda, who had apparently taken a prominent part in the election and consecration of Eulalius to the See of Nazianzus, was accused of heresy by Helladius Archbishop of Cæsarea, and a Council met at Parnassus to try him, a.d. 383. Gregory, not being able personally to attend this Synod, writes to Amph...

The Lord fulfil all your petitions — do not despise a father's prayer — for you have abundantly refreshed my old age: by going to Parnassus as you were asked, and by refuting the slander against the most Reverend and God-beloved Bishop. Evil men love to attribute their own faults to those who expose them. This man's age alone is stronger than all the accusations against him — and so is his life, and so are we who have so often heard from him and taught others, and so are those whom he has drawn back from error into the common body of the Church. Yet the evil temper of the present time called for more precise proof, on account of the slanderers and the ill-disposed. You have supplied it — or rather, you have supplied it to those of more unstable minds who are easily swayed by such men. If you are willing to undertake a longer journey, and will give personal testimony and settle the matter with the other bishops in person, you will be doing a spiritual work worthy of your Perfection. I and those with me send your Fraternity our greetings.

Ep. CLXXXIV. (Bosporius, Bishop of Colonia in Cappadocia Secunda, who had apparently taken a prominent part in the election and consecration of Eulalius to the See of Nazianzus, was accused of heresy by Helladius Archbishop of Cæsarea, and a Council met at Parnassus to try him, a.d. 383. Gregory, not being able personally to attend this Synod, writes to Amphilochius, to beg him to undertake the defense of the accused. The letter is lost, but Gregory's friend carried out his mission with success, and the following letter is to thank him for his kindness.) The Lord fulfil all your petitions (do not despise a father's prayer), for you have abundantly refreshed my age, both by having gone to Parnassus, as you were invited to do, and by having refuted the calumny against the most Reverend and God-beloved Bishop. For evil men love to set down their own faults to those who convict them. For the age of this man is stronger than all the accusations, and so is his life, and we too who have often heard from him and taught others, and those whom he has recovered from error and added to the common body of the church; but yet the present evil times called for more accurate proof on account of the slanderers and evil-disposed; and this you have supplied us with, or rather you have supplied it to those who are of fickler mind and easily led away by such men. But if you will undertake a longer journey, and will personally give testimony, and settle the matter with the other bishops, you will be doing a spiritual work worthy of your Perfection. I and those with me salute your Fraternity. 6. To Nectarius Archbishop of Constantinople (Gregory, having failed to persuade the Council of a.d. 381 to end the schism at Antioch by recognizing Paulinus as successor to Meletius, thought it best for the sake of peace to resign the Archbishopric. The Council elected in his place Nectarius, a catechumen at the time, who was Prætor of Constantinople, and he was consecrated and enthroned June 9, 381. Gregory always maintained cordial relations with him; and the following letter was written in answer to the formal announcement of his election.)