ANDREA, bishop of SAMOSATA. — He lived in the first half of the fifth century and died before 449; he took an active part in the Nestorian controversy. At the invitation of Giovanni d'Antiocchia, he wrote, in the name of the Orientals, a refutation of the anathemas of St. Cirillo d'Alessandria, in which he sought to place the latter in contradiction with himself. This refutation has come down to us largely in the reply of St. Cirillo, entitled: Apologeticus adversus orientales episcopos: PG 86, 315-86. Although Anastasio il Sinaita (Hodegos, chap. 22: PG 89, 291-94) describes A. as a “dragon full of Nestorian poison,” it does not appear, from what remains of his writings, that he was truly Nestorian. The fragment, cited by Anastasio, of a second treatise against Cirillo, which has not come down to us, may be understood in an orthodox sense. It is certain that A., after refusing for some time to subscribe to the symbol of union between St. Cirillo and the Orientals (433), soon ended by drawing close again to the party of peace, as appears from his letter to the stewards of his intransigent metropolitan, Alessandro di Gerapoli (Synodicon Casinense, 106: PG 84, 719-20).
Of the ten letters of A. that have come down to us in Latin, in the Synodicon Casinense (43, 59-63, 82-90, 98-101, 106: PG 84), 8 are addressed to Alessandro di Gerapoli.