GREGORIUS NEO-CÆSARENSIS THAUMATURGUS,
the enthusiastic disciple of Origen, and the apostle
of Pontus; was b. at Neo-Cæsarea in Pontus, and destined for some kind of
civil career, but happened to come to Cæsarea in Palestine, where Origen
had settled down shortly before (in 231), and remained there, studying under
his tutorship, for eight years. Before he returned home he wrote his panegyrics
on his great teacher (specially edited by J. A. Bengel, 1722); and shortly
after his arrival home he was consecrated bishop of his native city by
Phædimus of Amisus. He found seventeen Christians in Neo-Cæsarea
when he entered his office: there were only seventeen Pagans left when he died
(about 270). Testimonies of the energy he de-veloped and the influence he
exercised are not only the legends which cluster around his name, but also the
writings he left, - his so-called canonical letter on discipline, one of the
most inter-esting documents of ancient Christianity; the con-fession he used
for the catechumens of his church; his paraphrase of Ecclesiastes. They were
edited by G. Voss, Mayence, 1604, in Paris, 1622; in GALLAND: Bibi. Patr.,
III.; and MIGNE: Patrol. Græca, X. His life was written by GREGORY of
NYSSA (utterly unreliable), PALLAVICINI (Rome, 1644), J. L. BOYE (Jena, 1703),
and VICTOR RYSSEL (Leipzig, 1880).
W. Müller, "GREGORIUS
NEO-CÆSARENSIS THAUMATURGUS," Philip Schaff, ed., A Religious
Encyclopaedia or Dictionary of Biblical, Historical, Doctrinal, and Practical
Theology, 3rd edn, Vol. 2. Toronto, New York & London: Funk &
Wagnalls Company, 1894. p.906. |