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Stephanus I., Patriarch of Antioch

Wace's Dictionary of Early Christian Biography

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Stephanus (16) I., patriarch of Antioch a.d. 478–480 (Clinton, F. R. ii. 536, 553). Stephen having sent a synodic letter to Acacius bp. of Constantinople acquainting him with the circumstances of his consecration, Acacius convened a synod, a.d. 478, by which the whole transaction was confirmed. The partisans of Peter the Fuller accused Stephen to Zeno of Nestorian heresy, and demanded to have his soundness in the faith investigated by a synod. Zeno yielded, and a synod was called for the Syrian Laodicea (Labbe, iv. 1152 ). The charge was declared groundless (Theophan. 108). Stephen's enemies, rendered furious by defeat, made an onslaught on the church of St. Barlaam in which he was celebrating the Eucharist, dragged him from the altar, tortured him to death, and threw his body into the Orontes (Evagr. H. E. iii. 10; Niceph. H. E. xv. 88). The emperor, indignant at the murder of his nominee, despatched a military force to punish the Eutychian party, at whose instigation the crime had been committed ( Simplicii Ep 14 ad Zenonem, Labbe, iv: 1033; Lib. Synod. ib. 1152). According to some authorities it was Stephen's successor, another Stephen, who was thus murdered. Valesius, Seb. Binius, Tillemont ( Mém. xvi. 315) and Le Quien ( Or. Christ. ii. 726) take the view given above.

[E.V.]