Bishop Of Perrha Athanasius
A Dictionary of Early Christian Biography [1]
Athanasius (3) , bp. of Perrha, a see dependent on the Syrian Hierapolis; present at the council of Ephesus, 431, supporting Cyril of Alexandria. Grave accusations, brought against him by his clergy, led him to resign his see. Through the intervention on his behalf of Proclus of Constantinople and Cyril of Alexandria, Domnus II., patriarch of Antioch, summoned a council to consider the matter. Athanasius, refusing to appear, was unanimously condemned by default and deposed from his bishopric, to which Sabinianus was consecrated. After "the Robber Synod" of Ephesus, A.D. 449, had made Dioscorus of Alexandria the temporary ruler of the Eastern church, Sabinianus was in his turn deposed, and Athanasius reinstated at Perrha. Sabinianus appealed to the council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451, where both he and his rival signed as bp. of Perrha. His case was fully heard, and it was determined that the original charges against him should be investigated by Maximus at Antioch. We are in complete ignorance of the issue of this investigation. (Labbe, Conc, iv. 717–754; Liberatus Diac. in Breviario. Labbe, v. 762; Cave, Hist. Lit. i. 479; Christ. Lupus, ii.)
[E.V.]
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [2]
Athanasius, Bishop Of Perrha
known to us in connection with Domnus II, bishop of Antioch, in the middle of the 5th century. He was present at the first Council of Ephesus, supported Cyril of Alexandria, and signed with him. Having had grave charges brought against him by his clergy, he refused to meet them when summoned by his metropolitan Panolbius of Hierapolis, and voluntarily resigned his see. Domnus summoned a council to consider the matter; but Athanasius refused to appear, on the ground that Domnus was his personal enemy, and he was unanimously condemned by default and deposed from his bishopric. See Cave Hist. Lit. i, 479; Labbb, Concil. 4:717754.
