Macarius (imperial legate)

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Marcarius was an imperial notary sent in 340 to enforce an imperial edict[1][2] against the Donatist community,[3] in Bagai, Numidia, Roman North Africa.

Macarius' mission[]

His original mission had been to distribute donations from the emperor Constans, in North Africa churches in an attempt to end the split between Donatists and Catholics.[4] The local Donatists, however, resisted the legates and aided by Circumcellion groups from the surrounding district, a revolt took place. Rumor spread he had placed imperial images on the Eucharist table and the cry of the rebels was "What has the emperor to do with the church"[5][6]

Optatus records that the Donatists struck first and the retaliation by the soldiers resulted in a slaughter,[7] of the local church groups.

A meeting with the Donatists was called, but the legates had the bishops chained and flogged, and some days latter the bishops were killed, thrown down a well[8] and Marculus off a cliff.[9][10] There is some suggestion that this was carried out by the soldier without Macarius orders but either way, Marcarius set camp at a nearby imperial estate and suppressed the revolt over the following months. In this "Macarius did not discriminate between moderate Donatist and extreme Circumcellionist."[11]

Following the events at Bagai the rift between Catholic and Donatist became intractable.[12] and never forgotten. The Donatists never trusted the Catholic factions again and the dispute became ever more violent over the coming decades.

was held by the Donatists to be a Martyr and a shrine to him and others killed at this time has been recently excavated in Bagai.

Legacy[]

St. Augustine arguing with Donatists

The phrase [13]Macarian Times became a sound bite to express the idea of Catholic-imperial persecution by Donatists preachers."Far from securing unity, the Marcarian mission had left a bitterly divided memory half a century latter.[14]

Augustine latter accepted the Macarius had acted excessively, while Optatus chilled those who fled from the approach of Macarius.[15]

References[]

  1. ^ Leslie Dossey, Peasant and Empire in Christian North Africa (University of California Press, 2010) p190.
  2. ^ Jesse Hoover, The Contours of Donatism: Theological and Ideological Diversity in Fourth Century North Africa.(ProQuest, 2008 ) p215.
  3. ^ Ronald D. Burris, Where Is the Church?: Martyrdom, Persecution, and Baptism in North Africa. (Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2012 ) p83
  4. ^ Schindler, Alfred (Heidelberg), "Macarius", in: Brill's New Pauly , Edited by: Hubert Cancik, Helmuth Schneider (Antiquity), Manfred Landfester (History of Recollection and Science). Consulted online on 23 January 2017
  5. ^ Michael Gaddis, There Is No Crime for Those Who Have Christ.(University of California Press, 2005).p106.
  6. ^ Leslie Dossey, Peasant and Empire in Christian North Africa (University of California Press, 2010 ) p185.
  7. ^ Optatus 3.12.
  8. ^ Edward Ambrose Burgis, The annals of the Church [by E.A. Burgis (Edward Ambrose Burgis, 1738) p203.
  9. ^ Ronald D. Burris, Where Is the Church?: Martyrdom, Persecution, and Baptism in North Africa. (Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2012)p84.
  10. ^ Michael Gaddis, There Is No Crime for Those Who Have Christ.(University of California Press, 2005) p109.
  11. ^ Donatus and Donatism at Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century.
  12. ^ Ronald D. Burris, Where Is the Church?: Martyrdom, Persecution, and Baptism in North Africa. (Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2012 ) p85.
  13. ^ Schindler, Alfred (Heidelberg), "Macarius", in: Brill's New Pauly , Edited by: Hubert Cancik, Helmuth Schneider (Antiquity), Manfred Landfester (History of Recollection and Science). Consulted online on 23 January 2017
  14. ^ Michael Gaddis, There Is No Crime for Those Who Have Christ: Religious Violence in the fourth century North Africa].(University of California Press, 14 Oct. 2005) p136
  15. ^ Michael Gaddis, There Is No Crime for Those Who Have Christ: Religious Violence in the fourth century North Africa].(University of California Press, 14 Oct. 2005) p136
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