St Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium (+394)
Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium, was born in Caesarea of Cappadocia. He was a close relative of Saint Gregory the Theologian and a friend of Basil the Great. For almost forty years Saint Amphilochius lived a strict, ascetic life in the desert; but in 372, when the Bishop of Iconium died, angels of the Lord appeared three times in a divine vision to the blessed father and called him to go to Iconium for the labour of a hierarch. The heavenly messenger, standing before the saint for the third time, sang together with him the hymn of the angels: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord of Sabaoth.”
Seven bishops came to Saint Amphilochius, to whom it had likewise been made known by revelation that they should consecrate the saint Bishop of Iconium.
For many years the hierarch Amphilochius wisely governed the eparchy of Iconium. A faithful champion of Orthodoxy, he sternly exposed the heretical teachings of Arius and Eunomius, took part in the work of the Second Ecumenical Council (381), and led the struggle against the heresy of Macedonius.
Amphilochius found it very hard to hold back the spread of the foul heresy of the Arians throughout Greece, and he appealed to the Emperor Theodosius with a request to use his royal power to break up the Arian assemblies. The autocrat, avoiding the disturbance to be expected from the heretics, left the hierarch’s request unanswered. Some time later Amphilochius had occasion to meet the king. He bowed down to Theodosius and paid him fitting honour, but gave no attention whatever to his co-ruler, the prince Arcadius, who was sitting beside him. The emperor was greatly angered by the insult to his son and ordered Saint Amphilochius to be driven from the palace. The holy hierarch addressed him thus: “O sovereign! Now thou hast learned by thine own experience how hard it is to bear dishonour shown to a son: thou art angry with me. All the more will the Lord not endure the insulting of His Son. He turns away from and abhors those who blaspheme Him, and prepares a cruel punishment for all who share in the accursed heresy of Arius.” The emperor realised that the saint’s behaviour was to be understood as a parable; he understood that God the Son is due honour equal to God the Father; he was amazed at the hierarch’s wisdom and prudence, rose from the throne, bowed before the saint and asked his forgiveness. After this Theodosius sent decrees throughout the empire that the civil authorities should actively support the Orthodox. Thus, through the intercession of Amphilochius of Iconium, peace settled in the Church of Christ. The epistles and sermons of the hierarch Amphilochius have been preserved to our day. In 394 the holy chief shepherd committed his soul to the Lord in peace.
