Eustathius of Sebaste

Template:Short description Eustathius of Sebaste (Template:Langx. c. Template:Trim

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Template:R protected after 377Template:Sfn) was bishop of Sebastia in Armenia (modern Sivas, Turkey) during the fourth century. He is known for his asceticism, his early opposition to slavery, and his friendship with Basil of Caesarea.

Eustathius was son of the Arian bishop Eulalius of Sebaste and was born sometime around 300 AD.Template:Sfn He was originally a monk, and is said to have been the first who acquainted the Armenians with an ascetic life. For this reason some persons ascribed to him the work on Ascetics, which is usually regarded as the production of Saint Basil of Caesarea.Template:Sfn Basil was a close friend and student of Eustathius, looking up to him from a young age;Template:Sfn Eustathius greatly influenced Basil, including inspiring him to pursue the monastic life instead of studying in Athens.Template:Sfn

Eustathius was one of the few patristic authors to endorse the complete abolition of slavery, and possibly the first person to reject slavery entirely. Eustathius was the teacher of Macrina, Basil, Naucratius, and Gregory, who also emphasized asceticism and the rejection of slavery and social injustice.Template:Sfn Eustathius also created charities including almshouses, hospitals, refuges, and likely inspired Basil's plan to build a hospice.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Eustathius was a controversial figure. Nicephorous states that although he had signed the decrees of the Council of Nicaea, he yet openly sided with the Arians.Template:Sfn In 340, the Synod of Gangra condemned Eustathius and his followers for their more radical views including the complete abolition of slavery and exaggerated asceticism among other things.Template:Sfn He also came into conflict with Meletius of Antioch over the Arian controversy, who managed to supplant him from 358 until 360.Template:Sfn He also fell out with his former student Basil in 375 over theological differences.Template:Sfn

The last record of Eustathius is around 377, when he was apparently a very old man.Template:Sfn

Bibliography

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