The Ante-Nicene Church · AD 180–313
Helenus of Tarsus
d. c. 273 · Bishop of Tarsus · Synod leader against Paul of Samosata · Tarsus, Cilicia
The Ante-Nicene Church
Who Helenus of Tarsus was
Bishop of Tarsus and one of the East’s senior churchmen through the Paul of Samosata affair — named at the head of the synodal rosters, presiding (after Firmilian’s death en route) at the council of 268 that finally deposed Paul. Dionysius of Alexandria, too ill to attend, addressed his letter on the case to the leaders around Helenus. A metropolitan whose whole surviving record is the steadiness of his chairmanship.
Also listed in bishops beyond the great sees.
Common questions
When did Helenus die?
Helenus of Tarsus is dated d. c. 273 in the archive, which places Helenus in the Ante-Nicene Church (AD 180–313). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.
Which early sources mention Helenus?
Helenus of Tarsus is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Dionysius of Alexandria and Eusebius of Caesarea. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Helenus from?
The archive associates Helenus of Tarsus with Tarsus, Cilicia. The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.
Who were Helenus’ contemporaries?
The archive links Helenus of Tarsus to 8 other figures, including Firmilian of Caesarea, Hymenaeus of Jerusalem, Paul of Samosata and Malchion of Antioch. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Primary-source mentions (3)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Dionysius of Alexandria to Stephen, via Ecclesiastical History VII.5 ('Helenus in Tarsus of Cilicia')
c. AD 255This had been the subject of discussion between Helenus of Tarsus in Cilicia, and Firmilianus, and all Cappadocia.Dionysius of Alexandria · Ecclesiastical History VII.5 · source text
Ecclesiastical History VII.28, 30
c. AD 325The most eminent of the bishops who then assembled were Firmilianus of Caesarea in Cappadocia, the brothers Gregory and Athenodorus… and Helenus of the parish of Tarsus.Eusebius of Caesarea · 30 · source text
Ecclesiastical History VII.30.2
c. AD 325[Helenus, Hymenaeus, Theophilus, Theotecnus, Maximus, Proclus, Nicomas, Aelianus, Paul, Bolanus, Protogenes, Hierax, Eutychius, Theodorus, Malchion and Lucius, to Dionysius and Maximus and to all our fellow-ministers throughout the world.]Eusebius of Caesarea · Ecclesiastical History VII.30.2 · source text
Connected in the archive
People
- Firmilian of Caesarea
- Hymenaeus of Jerusalem
- Paul of Samosata
- Malchion of Antioch
- Athenodorus of Pontus
- Maximus of Bostra
- Nicomas
- Protogenes
Events in this lifetime
- AD 235 · Maximinus Thrax targets the clergy, AD 235
- AD 250 · The Decian persecution, AD 250
- AD 251 · The Novatianist schism, AD 251
- AD 257 · The Valerian persecution, AD 257
- AD 260 · Gallienus’ edict of toleration, AD 260
- AD 268 · Antioch deposes Paul of Samosata, AD 268
- AD 272 · Aurelian awards the Antioch church, AD 272
Place
Places served
The 2 places the sources put Helenus, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route.