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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Eusebius (of Vercelli)</title><script src="https://dtyry4ejybx0.cloudfront.net/js/cmp/cleanmediacmp.js?ver=0104" async="true"></script><script defer data-domain="newadvent.org" src="https://plausible.io/js/script.js"></script><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05614b.htm"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="description" content="Bishop of Vercelli, exiled for defending St. Athanasius, anti-Arian, martyr, d. 371"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="http://feeds.newadvent.org/bestoftheweb?format=xml"><link rel="icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="shortcut icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><meta name="robots" content="noodp"><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="../utility/screen6.css" media="screen"></head> <body class="cathen" id="05614b.htm">  <br/> <div id="capitalcity"><table summary="Logo" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr valign="bottom"><td align="left"><a href="../"><img height=36 width=153 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></td><td align="right"> <form id="searchbox_000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0" action="../utility/search.htm">  <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active"> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0"/> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:9"/>  <label for="searchQuery" id="searchQueryLabel">Search:</label> <input id="searchQuery" name="q" type="text" size="25" aria-labelledby="searchQueryLabel"/>  <label for="submitButton" id="submitButtonLabel" class="visually-hidden">Submit Search</label> <input id="submitButton" type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" aria-labelledby="submitButtonLabel"/> </form> <table summary="Spacer" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td height="2"></td></tr></table> <table summary="Tabs" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../"> Home </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_white_on_color" href="../cathen/index.html"> Encyclopedia </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../summa/index.html"> Summa </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../fathers/index.html"> Fathers </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../bible/gen001.htm"> Bible </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../library/index.html"> Library </a></td> </tr></table> </td> </tr></table><table summary="Alphabetical index" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"> <a href="../cathen/a.htm"> A </a><a href="../cathen/b.htm"> B </a><a href="../cathen/c.htm"> C </a><a href="../cathen/d.htm"> D </a><a href="../cathen/e.htm"> E </a><a href="../cathen/f.htm"> F </a><a href="../cathen/g.htm"> G </a><a href="../cathen/h.htm"> H </a><a href="../cathen/i.htm"> I </a><a href="../cathen/j.htm"> J </a><a href="../cathen/k.htm"> K </a><a href="../cathen/l.htm"> L </a><a href="../cathen/m.htm"> M </a><a href="../cathen/n.htm"> N </a><a href="../cathen/o.htm"> O </a><a href="../cathen/p.htm"> P </a><a href="../cathen/q.htm"> Q </a><a href="../cathen/r.htm"> R </a><a href="../cathen/s.htm"> S </a><a href="../cathen/t.htm"> T </a><a href="../cathen/u.htm"> U </a><a href="../cathen/v.htm"> V </a><a href="../cathen/w.htm"> W </a><a href="../cathen/x.htm"> X </a><a href="../cathen/y.htm"> Y </a><a href="../cathen/z.htm"> Z </a> </td></tr></table></div> <div id="mobilecity" style="text-align: center; "><a href="../"><img height=24 width=102 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></div>  <div id="mi5"><span class="breadcrumbs"><a href="../">Home</a> > <a href="../cathen">Catholic Encyclopedia</a> > <a href="../cathen/e.htm">E</a> > St. Eusebius</span></div> <div id="springfield2"> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-top' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <h1>St. Eusebius</h1> <p><em><a href="https://gumroad.com/l/na2"><strong>Please help support the mission of New Advent</strong> and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more  all for only $19.99...</a></em></p> <p><a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">Bishop</a> of <a href="../cathen/15348b.htm">Vercelli</a>, b. in <a href="../cathen/13473b.htm">Sardinia</a> c. 283; d. at <a href="../cathen/15348b.htm">Vercelli</a>, <a href="../cathen/12076b.htm">Piedmont</a>, 1 August, 371. He was made <a href="../cathen/09111a.htm">lector</a> in <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a>, where he lived some time, probably as a member or head of a <a href="../cathen/12748b.htm">religious</a> community (Spreitzenhofer, Die Entwickelung des alten Mönchtums in Italien, <a href="../cathen/15417a.htm">Vienna</a>, 1894, 14 sq.), Later he came to Vercelle, the present <a href="../cathen/15348b.htm">Vercelli</a>, and in 340 was unanimously elected <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> of that city by the <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">clergy</a> and the people. He received episcopal <a href="../cathen/04276a.htm">consecration</a> at the hands of <a href="../cathen/08561a.htm">Pope Julius I</a> on 15 December, of the same year. According to the testimony of <a href="../cathen/01383c.htm">St. Ambrose</a> (Ep. lxiii, Ad Vercellenses) he was the first <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> of the West who united monastic with <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">clerical</a> life. He led with the <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">clergy</a> of his city a common life modelled upon that of the Eastern cenobites (St. Ambrose, Ep. lxxxi and Serm. lxxxix). For this reason the <a href="../cathen/03288a.htm">Canons Regular of St. Augustine</a> <a href="../cathen/07462a.htm">honour</a> him along with <a href="../cathen/02084a.htm">St. Augustine</a> as their founder (Proprium Canon. Reg., 16 December).</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>In 364 <a href="../cathen/09217a.htm">Pope Liberius</a> sent Eusebius and <a href="../cathen/09410b.htm">Bishop Lucifer</a> to <a href="../cathen/03139c.htm">Cagliari</a> to the Emperor Constantius, who was then at Arles in <a href="../cathen/06395b.htm">Gaul</a>, for the purpose of inducing the emperor to convoke a council which should put an end to the dissentions between the <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arians</a> and the <a href="../cathen/11330a.htm">orthodox</a>. The synod was held in <a href="../cathen/10298a.htm">Milan</a> in 355. At first Eusebius refused to attend it because he foresaw that the <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arian</a> <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a>, who were supported by the emperor, would not accept the decrees of the Nicene council and would insist upon the condemnation of <a href="../cathen/02035a.htm">St. Athanasius</a>. Being pressed by the emperor and the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a> to appear at the synod, he came to <a href="../cathen/10298a.htm">Milan</a>, but was not admitted to the synod until the document condemning St. Athanasius had been drawn up and was awaiting the signature of the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a>. Eusebius vehemently protested against the <a href="../cathen/08010c.htm">unjust</a> condemnation of St. Athanasius and, despite the threats of the emperor, refused to attach his signature to the document. As a result he was sent into exile, first to Scythopolis in <a href="../cathen/14399a.htm">Syria</a>, where the <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arian</a> <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> Patrophilus, whom Eusebius calls his jailer, (<a href="../cathen/02304b.htm">Baronius</a>, Annal., ad ann. 356, n. 97), treated him very cruelly; then to Cappodocia, and lastly to <a href="../cathen/14561a.htm">Thebaid</a>. On the accession of the <a href="../cathen/08558b.htm">Emperor Julian</a>, the exiled <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a> were allowed to return to their sees, in 362. Eusebius, however, and his brother-exile Lucifer did not at once return to <a href="../cathen/08208a.htm">Italy</a>. Acting either by force of their former legatine faculties or, as is more probable, having received new legatine faculties from <a href="../cathen/09217a.htm">Pope Liberius</a>, they remained in the Orient for some time, helping to restore peace in the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a>. Eusebius went to Alexandria to consult with St. Athanasius about convoking the synod which in 362 was held there under their joint presidency. Besides declaring the Divinity of the Holy Ghost and the <a href="../cathen/11330a.htm">orthodox</a> <a href="../cathen/05075b.htm">doctrine</a> concerning the Incarnation, the synod agreed to deal mildly with the repentant <a href="../cathen/01624b.htm">apostate</a> <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a>, but to impose severe penalties upon the leaders of several of <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arianizing</a> factions. At its close Eusebius went to Antioch to reconcile the Eustathians and the Meletians. The Eustathians were adherents of the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> St. Eustatius, who was deposed and exiled by the <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arians</a> in 331. Since Meletius' election in 361 was brought about chiefly by the <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arians</a>, the Eustathians would not recognize him, although he solemnly proclaimed his <a href="../cathen/11330a.htm">orthodox</a> <a href="../cathen/05752c.htm">faith</a> from the <a href="../cathen/01381e.htm">ambo</a> after his episcopal <a href="../cathen/04276a.htm">consecration</a>. The Alexandrian synod had desired that Eusebius should reconcile the Eustathians with Bishop Meletius, by purging his election of whatever might have been irregular in it, but Eusebius, upon arriving at Antioch found that his brother-legate Lucifer had <a href="../cathen/04276a.htm">consecrated</a> Paulinus, the leader of the Eustathians, as <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">Bishop</a> of <a href="../cathen/01570a.htm">Antioch</a>, and thus unwittingly had frustrated the pacific design. Unable to reconcile the factions at <a href="../cathen/01570a.htm">Antioch</a>, he visited other Churches of the Orient in the interest of the <a href="../cathen/11330a.htm">orthodox</a> <a href="../cathen/05752c.htm">faith</a>, and finally passed through Illyricum into <a href="../cathen/08208a.htm">Italy</a>. Having arrived at <a href="../cathen/15348b.htm">Vercelli</a> in 363, he assisted the <a href="../cathen/15753a.htm">zealous</a> <a href="../cathen/07349b.htm">St. Hilary of Poitiers</a> in the suppression of <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arianism</a> in the <a href="../cathen/09022a.htm">Western Church</a>, and was one of the chief opponents of the <a href="../cathen/01707c.htm">Arian</a> Bishop Auxientius of <a href="../cathen/10298a.htm">Milan</a>. The church <a href="../cathen/07462a.htm">honours</a> him as a <a href="../cathen/09736b.htm">martyr</a> and celebrates his feast as a semi-double on 16 December. In the "Journal of Theological Studies" (1900), I, 302-99, E.A. Burn attributes to Eusebius the "Quicumque". (See <a href="../cathen/02033b.htm">ATHANASIAN CREED</a>)</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>Three short letters of Eusebius are printed in <a href="../cathen/10290a.htm">Migne</a>, P.L., XII, 947-54 and X, 713-14. <a href="../cathen/08341a.htm">St. Jerome</a> (<a href="../fathers/2708.htm"><em>Illustrious Men</em> 56</a> and <a href="../fathers/3001051.htm">Epistle 51, no. 2</a>) ascribes to him a Latin translation of a commentary on the Psalms, written originally in Greek by <a href="../cathen/05617b.htm">Eusebius of Cæsarea</a>; but this work has been lost. There is preserved in the <a href="../cathen/03438a.htm">cathedral</a> at <a href="../cathen/15348b.htm">Vercelli</a> the "Codex Vercellensis", the earliest <a href="../cathen/09614b.htm">manuscript</a> of the old Latin Gospels (codex <em>a</em>), which is generally believed to have been written by Eusebius. It was published by Irico (Milan 1748) and <a href="../cathen/02541b.htm">Bianchini</a> (Rome, 1749), and is reprinted in <a href="../cathen/10290a.htm">Migne</a>, P.L. XII, 9-948; a new edition was brought out by Belsheim (Christiania, 1894). Krüger (Lucifer, Bischof von Calaris", Leipzig, 1886, 118-30) ascribes to Eusebius a <a href="../cathen/02258b.htm">baptismal</a> oration by Caspari (Quellen sur Gesch, Des Taufsymbols, Christiania, 1869, II, 132-40). The confession of <a href="../cathen/05752c.htm">faith</a> "Des. Trinitate confessio", P.L., XII, 959-968, sometimes ascribed to Eusebius is spurious.</p> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-bottom' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <div class="cenotes"><h2>Sources</h2><p class="cenotes">BUTLER, <em>Lives of the Saints</em>, 15 Dec.; BARING-GOULD, <em>Lives of the Saints</em>, 15 Dec.; DAVIES, in <em>Dict. Christ. Biogr.</em>; St. Jerome, <a href="../fathers/2708.htm"><em>Illustrious Men</em> 96</a>; FERRERIUS, <em>Vita s, Eusebii episcopi Vercellensis</em> (Vercelli, 1609); UGHELLI, <em>Italia Sacra</em> (Venice 1719), IV, 749-61; BARONIUS, <em>Annales</em>ad ann. 355-371; MORIN in<em>Revue Benedictine</em> (Maredsous, 1890), VII, 567-73; SAVIO, <em>Gli antichi vescovi d'Italia (Piedmonte)</em> (Turin, 1899), 412-20, 514-54; BARDENHEWER, <em>Patrologie</em>, Shahan Tr. (Freiburg im Br.; St. Louis, 1903), 417-18.</p></div> <div class="pub"><h2>About this page</h2><p id="apa"><strong>APA citation.</strong> <span id="apaauthor">Ott, M.</span> <span id="apayear">(1909).</span> <span id="apaarticle">St. Eusebius.</span> In <span id="apawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="apapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company.</span> <span id="apaurl">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05614b.htm</span></p><p id="mla"><strong>MLA citation.</strong> <span id="mlaauthor">Ott, Michael.</span> <span id="mlaarticle">"St. Eusebius."</span> <span id="mlawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="mlavolume">Vol. 5.</span> <span id="mlapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company,</span> <span id="mlayear">1909.</span> <span id="mlaurl"><http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05614b.htm>.</span></p><p id="transcription"><strong>Transcription.</strong> <span id="transcriber">This article was transcribed for New Advent by C.A. Montgomery.</span> <span id="dedication"></span></p><p id="approbation"><strong>Ecclesiastical approbation.</strong> <span id="nihil"><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> May 1, 1909. Remy Lafort, Censor.</span> <span id="imprimatur"><em>Imprimatur.</em> +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.</span></p><p id="contactus"><strong>Contact information.</strong> The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster <em>at</em> newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.</p></div> </div> <div id="ogdenville"><table summary="Bottom bar" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"><center><strong>Copyright © 2023 by <a href="../utility/contactus.htm">New Advent LLC</a>. 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