Gelasius

(Γελάσιος),the name of three Greek ecclesiastical writers. There were also two Popes of the name, but neither of them comes within the limits of the present work.

1. Bishop of Caesareia, in Palestine, author of a book, Κατὰ Ἀνομοίων, Against the Anomoeans [Aetius]. Photius distinguishes him from the nephew of Cyril mentioned below; but Fabricius and Cave identify them. (Phot. Bibl. Codd. 89, 102.)

2. Bishop of Caesareia, in Palestine. He was sister's son to Cyril of Jerusalem, by whose influence or authority he was appointed to his see, apparently before A. D. 367. [Cyrillus of Jerusalem.] It was at Cyril's desire that Gelasius undertook to compose an ecclesiastical history, as Photius says he had read in the Γροοίμιον εἰς τὰ μετὰ τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν ἱστορίαν Εὐσεβίου τοῦ Παμφίλου, Preface to the Continuation of the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphili, written by Gelasius himself. It may be observed that Photius does not seem to have read the whole work, but only the preface. It is probable that the work is referred to by Gelasius of Cyzicus in his History of the Council of Nice (1.7), in the passage Ὅγε μὴν Ῥουφῖνος ἢ γοῦν Γελάσιος ταῦτα λέγει ἇδε: from which passage probably arose the statement mentioned by Photius, but refuted by a reference to dates, that Cyril and his nephew Gelasius had translated the Ecclesiastical History of Rufinus into Greek. Fabricius confounds this Continuation of Eusebius with the History of the Nicene Council, by Gelasius of Cyzicus; but against all evidence. for Photius expressly distinguishes between the two works, and between their respective writers, comparing the style of one with that of the other. And the pretace to the Continuation quoted by Photitis distinctly asserts the author to have been the nephew of Cyril. The Continuation is not extant. Fabricius, without giving his authority, places the death of Gelasius in A. D. 394.

The following writings of a Gelasius of Caesareia are mentioned; but it is not clear to which of the Gelasii they belong. Works 1. An Exposition of the Creed

Cited by Leontius, Adv. Nestorium, lib. i., not far from the end. 2. Τῆς δεσποτικῆς Ἐπιφανείας Πανήγυρις, or Εἰς τὰ Ἐπιφάνια Λόγος, A Homily for the Epiphany

Twice cited by Theodoret (Eranist. Dial. i. iii.), who classes the writer among " the ancients of Palestine." 3. Practica στοιχείωσις secundum Ecclesiam

A work of which Labbe has cited a fragment in his Conspectus Operum Damasceni ; and which is described as Practica στοιχείωσις secundum Ecclesiam. Further Information

Phot. Bibl. Codd. 88, 89; Theodoret. Opera, vol. iv. pp. 46, 251, ed. Schulze; Leontius, Adv. Nest. apud Bibl. Patrum, vol. ix. p. 684, ed Lyon. 1677; Fabric. Bibl. Gr. vol. ix. p. 290, &c.

3. Of Cyzicus, was the son of a presbyter of the church of Cyzicus, and it was while at home in his father's house that he met with an old volume written on parchment, containing a full account of what was said and done at the first council of Nice. Works The Acts of the First Council, in three parts

From this record he derived considerable aid in arguing with the Eutychians during their ascendancy under the usurper Basiliscus, A. D. 475-477 ; and this induced him to collect further information respecting the Council, from Joannes, Eusebius of Caesareia, Rufinus, and others. He embodied the information thus collected in a work termed by Photius Πρακτικὸν τῆς Πρώτης Συνόδου ἐν τρισί τόμοις; The Acts of the First Council, in three parts; but, as Photius remarks, it is as much entitled to the name of History as of Acts.

The work is extant in the different editions of the Concilia ; but it has been suspected that the third part, or book, has been mutilated or corrupted by the earliest editors, in order to get rid of the testimony which (judging from the abstract of Photius) it afforded, that Constantine was not baptized at Rome by Pope Sylvester.

The first book comprehends the history of Constantine to his victory over Licinius. The second comprehends the history of the Council; and contains some discussions between certain " philosophers," advocates of " the impious Arius and the blasphemies invented by him," and the " holy bishops" of the opposite party; which discussions Cave believes to be pure inventions either of Gelasius or of the author of the ancient manuscript which formed the basis of his work. The third book, as we now have it, contains only a few letters of the emperor Constantine. Treatise against the Eutychians and Nestorians

Baronius ascribes to Gelasius of Cyzicus a treatise against the Eutychians and Nestorians, of which he supposes the work De Duabus Naturis, which is commonly regarded as the original Latin work, and passes under the name of Pope Gelasius I., to be only a version. Baronius does not appear to have many supporters in this supposition. It may be observed that one manuscript used by Photius of the History of the Nicene Council was anonymous, but in another the work was inscribed " By Gelasius, bishop of Caesareia in Palestine." This inscription probably originated in a mistake. Photius could not find out who the author of the work was further than he had described himself in the preface, but says that there had been two, if not three, bishops of Caesareia of the name. Further Information

Phot. Bibl. Codd. 15, 88, 89; Labbe, Concilia, vol. ii. col. 103-286; Fabric. Bibl. Gr. vol. ix. p. 291, &c., vol. xii. p. 581, &c.; Cave, Hist. Litt. vol. i. p. 454, ed. Ox. 1740-43; Baronius, Annal. ad Ann. 496, cap. v. &c.; Pagi, (Critice in Baron. [J.C.M]