Stephen I of Antioch
{{Short description|Patriarch of Antioch from 342 to 344}}
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{{Infobox Christian leader
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Stephen I of Antioch
| title = Patriarch of Antioch
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| term = 342 – 344
| predecessor = Flacillus of Antioch
| successor = Leontius of Antioch
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Stephen I of Antioch ({{langx|la|Stephanus}}) was the Patriarch of Antioch between 342 and 344,{{Cite web |url=http://sor.cua.edu/Patriarchate/PatriarchsChronList.html |publisher=Syriac Orthodox Resources |title=Patriarchs of Antioch - Chronological List |access-date=24 December 2011}} or 341 and 345{{Cite web |url=http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/ignpatriarchs.htm |title=Primates of the Apostolic See of Antioch |publisher=St. John of Damascus Faculty of Theology, University of Balamand |access-date=24 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110731103713/http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/ignpatriarchs.htm |archive-date=31 July 2011}} depending on the source. He was leader of the Arian party, called Eusebians, during the Arian controversy and an adversary of Athanasius.
Arian councils
Stephen was present at the Council of Sardica (343) leading the arian party alongside Acacius of Caesarea, the successor of Eusebius of Nicomedia, where he fought for the depositions of Athanasius and Marcellus of Ancyra, something the orthodox party, spearheaded by Hosius, was not prepared to do. Angry with the result, the arians left the council and reunited again at the so-called Council of Philippopolis, which condemned the two bishops and pronounced an anathema against the Fathers at Sardica.{{cite web| title = The Arian Controversy| url = http://www.aolib.com/reader_18377_24.htm| publisher = Aolib.com| access-date = 2011-12-26| author = Henry Melvill Gwatkin| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120426012721/http://www.aolib.com/reader_18377_24.htm| archive-date = 2012-04-26| url-status = dead}}
In 344, some orthodox representatives of Sardica visited Antioch (Vincent of Capua and Euphrates of Cologne). During the night, a harlot was found in their quarters and the event became a big scandal that, after an investigation, traced back to Stephen. As a result, a Council of Antioch in 344 deposed him.
Notes and references
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{{succession box
| before = Flacillus
| title = Patriarch of Antioch
| years = 342 – 344
| after = Leontius
}}
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{{Patriarchs of Antioch|state=collapsed}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephen of Antioch, Patriarch, 01}}
Category:Patriarchs of Antioch
Category:4th-century archbishops
Category:Year of birth unknown
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