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Beziers

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one of the earliest episcopal sees in France. Quite a number of synods have been held at Beziers: A.D. 356, on account of the Arians; 1234 and 1243, against the Albigenses; and in 1279, 1299, and 1351, on account of other ecclesiastical controversies. Bi'atas (Φιαθάς v. r. Φαλίας, Vulg. Philias), one of the Levites that expounded the law to the Jews at Jerusalem as read by Ezra (1 Esdras 9:48); evidently a corruption for the PELAIAH (See PELAIAH) (q.v.) of the genuine text (Nehemiah 8:7). Biathanati (from Βία, violence, and θἀνατος, death). Among other reproachful epithets applied by the pagans to Christians in the first centuries we find Biathanati, self-murderers, imposed in consequence of their contempt of death, and cheerful endurance of all kinds of suffering for Christ's sake. We also meet with the term Biothanati (βίος, ife), men who expect to live after death. The enemies of the Christians might employ this phrase to ridicule the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. It is recorded in Bede's Martyrology that when the seven sons of Symphorosa were martyred under Hadrian, their bodies were cast into one pit together, which the temple-priests named from them Ad septem Biothanatos. — Bingham, Orig. Eccles. bk. i, ch. ii, § 8; Farrar, Eccles. Dict. s.v.