Andrew, Bishop of Samosata

ANDREW, Bishop of Samosata. - He lived in the first half of the 5th century, died before 449; he took an active part in the Nestorian controversy. At the invitation of John of Antioch, he wrote, in the name of the Orientals, a refutation of the anathematisms of St. Cyril of Alexandria, in which he seeks to put the latter in contradiction with himself. This refutation has come down to us in large part in St. Cyril's reply, entitled: Apologeticus adversus orientales episcopos: PG 86, 315-86. Although Anastasius Sinaita (Hodegos, ch. 22: PG 89, 291-94) treats A. as a "dragon full of Nestorian venom," it does not appear, from what remains of him, that he was truly Nestorian. The fragment, cited by Anastasius, of a second treatise against Cyril, which has not come down to us, can be understood in an orthodox way. It is certain that A., after having refused for some time to subscribe to the symbol of union between St. Cyril and the Orientals (433), soon ended by drawing near again to the party of peace, as appears from his letter to the stewards of his intransigent metropolitan, Alexander of Hierapolis (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 Alexander of Hierapolis.

Martino Jugie