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Chapter XLIV.—Dionysius’ Account of Serapion.; original source section: Chapter 44
Complete historical editorial footnotes. These notes retain the original edition’s wording; individual note authors are unspecified.
English translation and editorial credits: Rev. Arthur Cushman McGiffert (Ph.D.).
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This epistle, as we may gather from the description of its contents in the next sentence, is without doubt the same from which Eusebius has quoted at such length in chaps. 41 and 42. Upon the date and purpose of it, see chap. 41, note 1. We possess only the fragments quoted by Eusebius in these three chapters.
Editorial footnote · Book VI, Chapter XLIV.—Dionysius’ Account of Serapion.; original source section: Chapter 44, editorial note cite_note-2 · Original source
1. To this same Fabius, who seemed to lean somewhat toward this schism, Dionysius of Alexandria also wrote an epistle. He writes in this many other things concerning repentance, and relates the conflicts of those who had lately suffered martyrdom at Alexandria. After the other account he mentions a certain wonderful fact, which deserves a place in this work. It is as follows:
ἀποβρέξαι. This is translated by Crusè and by Salmond (in the Ante-Nicene Fathers, VI. p. 101) “soak (or steep) in water”; but the liquid is not specified in the text, and it has consequently been thought by others that the bread was dipped in the wine, as was commonly done in the celebration of the eucharist in the Eastern Church (see Bingham’s Ant. Bk. XV.). But it must be noticed that the bread was soaked not by the presbyter but by the boy, and that too after his return home, where there can have been no consecrated wine for eucharistic use, and there is no hint that wine was given him for the purpose by the presbyter. It therefore seems probable that the bread was soaked simply in water, and that the soaking was only in order that the old man, in his enfeebled state, might be able to receive the element in a liquid instead of in a solid form.
Editorial footnote · Book VI, Chapter XLIV.—Dionysius’ Account of Serapion.; original source section: Chapter 44, editorial note cite_note-4 · Original source
4. But as I had commanded that persons at the point of death, if they requested it, and especially if they had asked for it previously, should receive remission, that they might depart with a good hope, he gave the boy a small portion of the eucharist, telling him to soak it and let the drops fall into the old man’s mouth.
Of this Serapion we know only what is told us in this chapter.
Editorial footnote · Book VI, Chapter XLIV.—Dionysius’ Account of Serapion.; original source section: Chapter 44, editorial note cite_note-3 · Original source
2. “I will give thee this one example which occurred among us. There was with us a certain Serapion, an aged believer who had lived for a long time blamelessly, but had fallen in the trial. He besought often, but no one gave heed to him, because he had sacrificed. But he became sick, and for three successive days continued speechless and senseless.
See above, chap. 39, note 7.
Editorial footnote · Book VI, Chapter XLIV.—Dionysius’ Account of Serapion.; original source section: Chapter 44, editorial note cite_note-1 · Original source
1. To this same Fabius, who seemed to lean somewhat toward this schism, Dionysius of Alexandria also wrote an epistle. He writes in this many other things concerning repentance, and relates the conflicts of those who had lately suffered martyrdom at Alexandria. After the other account he mentions a certain wonderful fact, which deserves a place in this work. It is as follows:
κατὰ τοῦ στόματος ἐπιστ€ξαι
Editorial footnote · Book VI, Chapter XLIV.—Dionysius’ Account of Serapion.; original source section: Chapter 44, editorial note cite_note-5 · Original source
4. But as I had commanded that persons at the point of death, if they requested it, and especially if they had asked for it previously, should receive remission, that they might depart with a good hope, he gave the boy a small portion of the eucharist, telling him to soak it and let the drops fall into the old man’s mouth.