Leontius of Antioch

Leontius Of Antioch, a learned Syrian theologian of the early Church, was born in Phrygia about the close of the 3d or the opening of the 4th century. He was a disciple of the martyr Lucianus, and, having entered the Church, was ordained a presbyter. In order to enjoy without scandal the society of a young female, Eustolius or Eustolia, to whom he was much attached, he mutilated himself, but, notwithstanding, did not escape suspicion, and was finally deposed from his office. On the deposition, however, of Stephanus, or Stephen, bishop of Antioch, he was, by the favor of the emperor Constantius and the predominant Arian party, appointed to that see about 348 or 349. Leontius died about A.D. 358. Of his writings, which were numerous, nothing remains except a fragment of what Cave describes, we know not on what authority, as Oratio in Passionem S. Babylae (cited in the Paschal Chronicle, in the notice of the Decian persecution). In this fragment it is distinctly asserted that both the emperor Philip and his wife were avowed Christians (Socrates, Hist. Eccles. 2:26; Sozomen, Hist. Eccles. 3:20; Theodoret, Hist. Eccles. 2:10, 24; Philostorgius, Hist. Eccles. 3:15,17,18; Athanasius, Apolog. de Fuga suat, 100:26; Hist. Ariatnor. ad Monachos, 100:28; Chron. Pasch. 1:270, 289, ed. Paris; p.

216, 231. ed.Venice; p. 503, 535, ed. Bonn; Cave, Hist. Literaria, 1:211, ed. Oxon. 1740-43; Fabricius, Biblioth. Graeca, 8:324). — Smith, Dict. of Greek and Romans Biog. vol. 2, s.v.