AN EXTRACT FROM THE

L IFE OF S AINT H YPATIUS 1

by Callinicus, his disciple
(n. 105, l. 22-n. 107, l. 26)
105. And when Nestorius came from Antioch to become
bishop of the illustrious and ruling city of Constantinople
(Dionysius, who had been named military commander of the
East, brought him), as he was drawing nigh to the city, Saint
Hypatius saw, in the holy Church of this capital city, that some
worldly men installed him on the throne, and at once a voice
saying, Three times and a half a time and you (pl.) root up the
cockle.
106. So Hypatius began to say to certain persons and to the
brothers, I am anxious, children, about the man who is to
become [bishop], for I have learned about him that he is to go
astray in the faith and he governs three and a half years. So
when he arrived at the monastery, Nestorius, having somehow
learned this, did not wish to go to meet the saint as he had
everywhere made visitation of all in his journeying. So when he
arrived in the capital and become bishop, he at once sent
clerics to Hypatius saying, Going, say to that dreamer of
dreams that I have twenty years to be in charge of the City and
where are your dreams? But Hypatius says to them, Say to
the bishop that if the vision shall come to pass, it was a
revelation, but if not, it was a dream and as a man I imagined
it. So left at a loss by the answer of those he had sent, a short
time later he again sent certain others to seize upon his words.
But after putting him to the test with vexatious and useless
interrogations they not only found nothing in his words that
1 Saint Hypatius of Bithynia, Abbot of Rufiniana near Chalcedon, 366446, feast: 17th June, life by the Bollandists, Vol. III, pp. 308-49

could be used against him, but they returned wondering at the

great discernment they had discovered in him. For this reason
Nestorius fell silent and sent no one else to him. When the
three years had been fulfilled, the evil treasure of his heart
gradually began to appear. For speaking in public he prattled
unspeakable things about the Lord, against his own head, and
which dignity forbids us to say, not knowing wretch that he
was the divine scripture saying, Who shall declare his
generation?,2 and, Seek not the things that are too high for
thee.3
107. And having learnt that Nestorius thought otherwise than
ought to be thought, Hypatius immediately, in the church of the
Apostle, removed his name, so that it should not be exalted in
the oblation. The most circumspect Bishop Eulalius 4 having
learned this and fearing the outcome of the event and since the
word was out, and Nestorius ordered him to rebuke Hypatius,
for that man was still in control in the city, and Eulalius spoke
thus to Hypatius: Why have you removed his name without
considering the probable outcome? To which Hypatius said,
Ever since I learned that he prattles unjust things about my
Lord, I am not in communion with him neither do I exalt his
name, for that man is not a bishop. Then the bishop said in
anger, Away with you and put right what you have done, for I
shall be taking action against you. But Hypatius answered: Do
as you wish, for I have made up my mind to suffer all things
and thus I did this. So as Nestorius journeyed to Ephesus, and
the synod was being assembled, on the day when he was to be
deposed, Hypatius sees that an angel of the Lord, seizing Saint
John the Apostle, carried him off to the most religious emperor 5
2 Isaias

LIII,

8.

3 Ecclesiasticus

III,

22.

4 Bishop of Chalcedon 430-435

5 Theodosius II

saying, Say to the emperor: Give judgement on Nestorius.

And hearing this, he gave it. And he made a note of the day,
and it was found that on that day he was deposed, the three
and a half years being fulfilled, as the Lord had foreshown to
him. And after a few days the deposition of Nestorius was
brought, and it was made known before of all the clergy and
people, Eulalius and Hypatius being present in the church (or
assembly).

Translated from the 1895 Leipzig edition of the life of Saint Hypatius
written c. 447-50 by his disciple the monk Callinicus
Copyright John S. Daly 2016