ACHESIO. – Bishop of the Novatian community of Constantinople. He took part in the Council of Nicaea and accepted all its decisions. When Constantine then asked him for what reason he wished to persist in the schism, he recounted the history of the Novatian schism, maintaining that only God, and not the Church, could forgive the sin of apostasy. To this Constantine is said to have replied: «O Achesio, take a ladder and climb up to heaven on your own.» The episode is reported by Socrates (Hist. eccl., I, 10) and by Sozomen (Hist. eccl., I, 22). The latter also says that Constantine held A. in high esteem for his austere life (ibid., II, 32).
ACHESIO
Cite this article
“ACHESIO.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. I (1948), p. 157. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/achesio.