Bishop of Alexandria, that in a council he deposed and excommunicated him. Several other bishops, however, received him in his misfortunes, and entertained him honourably. Orsi, on the authority of Eusebius, tells us[1], that in the persecution of Decius he was imprisoned a long time, loaded with irons, and a great iron ring on his neck; and that he was not only tortured in the legs in a horrible manner, but was likewise put on the rack. Dionisius, Eusebius says[2], wrote him a letter, or rather a small treatise, to animate and console him; and from that circumstance, Cardinal Orsi[3] proves the fallacy of Du Pin's conjecture, that the sentence passed against him by Demetrius was enforced under his successors Aracla and Dionisius. Origen did not long survive the torments he endured in that persecution. He died in Tyre, in the year 253, the sixty-ninth of his age[4].
Bernini tells us, on the authority of St. Epiphanius[5], (thinking, however, that this was foisted into St. Epiphanius's works by the enemies of Origen), that he denied the faith by offering incense to idols, to avoid the indignities and insults inflicted on him by an Ethiopian, and that he was then freed from prison, and his life spared. After that he went from Alexandria to Jerusalem, and at the request of the clergy and people went into the pulpit to preach. It happened, however, that opening the book of the Psalms, to explain them, the first words he read were those of the 49th Psalm: "God said to the sinner, why dost thou declare my justices and take my covenant into thy mouth?" Struck dumb with sorrow, he began to weep bitterly, and left the pulpit without saying a word. Not only St. Epiphanius, but Eusebius[6] before him, Dear witness to Origen's fall. Although Bernini[7] says this story is quite fabulous, yet Petavius, Daniel Huet, Pagi, and especially Noel Alexander[8], say it is a fact. Roncaglia[9] is of opinion that Noel Alexander's arguments are groundless, and that Baronius's opinion carries more weight with it. We can decide nothing as to the salvation of Origen, though Baronius says that St. Simeon Salus saw him in hell; still, all is a mystery known to God alone. We know, however, on the authority of Baronius, that his doctrine was condemned by Pope Anastasius and Pope Gelasius, and afterwards by the fifth general council[10].
The substance of the errors of Origen, as well as I could collect from the works of Noel Alexander, Fleury, Hermant, Orsi, Van Ranst (who gives a great deal of information in a small space), and
- ↑ Orsi, t. 3, l. 7, n. 33.
- ↑ Euseb. Hist. Eccl. l. 6.
- ↑ Orsi, t. 3, l. 7, n. 33.
- ↑ Orsi, loc. cit.; Hermant, t. 1, c. 68; Bar. Ann. 204, n. 8; V. Ranst, p. 42; Graves, s. 3.
- ↑ Bernin. Istor. t. 1, c. 1, p. 125.
- ↑ Euseb. l. 6; Hist. Eccl. c 59.
- ↑ Baron. Ann. 253, n. 117, & seq. cum Graves, loc. cit.
- ↑ Petav. in Animadv. in St. Epiph. Heres. 64; Huetius, l. 1; Orig. c. 4; Pagius ad an. 251, n. 19; Nat. Alex. t. 7, diss. 15, q. 2, art. unic.
- ↑ Ronc. not. in Natal. loc. cit.
- ↑ Baron. Ann. 400, &c.
