The Nicene Age · AD 313–400
Paulinus of Antioch
d. 388 · Rival bishop in the Meletian schism · Antioch
The Nicene Age
Who Paulinus of Antioch was
Leader of the ‘Eustathian’ old-Nicene remnant at Antioch, consecrated bishop — irregularly, by the rigorist Lucifer of Cagliari in 362 — in opposition to Meletius, and thereby the fixed point of the schism that split Nicene Antioch for a generation: Rome and Alexandria recognized Paulinus, the East Meletius, and even after Meletius died at the council of 381 Paulinus refused the agreed succession. Jerome took priest’s orders from his hands. Orthodox in creed, he is classed here among the external figures strictly as the counter-claimant of the schism — the archive’s frame follows the Meletian line the councils vindicated.
Also listed in bishops beyond the great sees.
Common questions
When did Paulinus die?
Paulinus of Antioch is dated d. 388 in the archive, which places Paulinus in the Nicene Age (AD 313–400).
Which early sources mention Paulinus?
Paulinus of Antioch is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Basil of Caesarea, Socrates Scholasticus and Theodoret of Cyrrhus. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Paulinus from?
The archive associates Paulinus of Antioch with Antioch.
Who were Paulinus’ contemporaries?
The archive links Paulinus of Antioch to 4 other figures, including Meletius of Antioch, Lucifer of Cagliari, Jerome of Stridon and Damasus I of Rome. 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.
Letter 214.2 (Basil declines the Paulinian communion)
c. AD 375Ecclesiastical History V.5 (Socrates); Jerome, Letter 15
c. AD 439Lucifer ordained Paulinus bishop… and thus the Antiochene church was divided, those with Paulinus refusing communion with those of Meletius, though the faith of both was the same.Socrates Scholasticus · 15 · source text
Ecclesiastical History V.3 (the terms of the divided see)
c. AD 449Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 320 · Silvanus tried before Zenophilus, AD 320
- AD 325 · The Council of Nicaea, AD 325
- AD 339 · The persecution of Shapur II, AD 339
- AD 343 · The Council of Serdica, AD 343
- AD 361 · Julian’s pagan restoration, AD 361
- AD 366 · Damasus and the catacomb epigrams, AD 366
- AD 367 · Athanasius lists the 27 NT books, AD 367
- AD 372 · The martyrdom of Sabbas the Goth, AD 372
- AD 378 · Queen Mavia’s revolt, AD 378
- AD 380 · The Edict of Thessalonica, AD 380
- AD 381 · The Council of Constantinople, AD 381
- AD 381 · The Council of Aquileia, AD 381
- AD 384 · The Altar of Victory petition, AD 384
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Paulinus.