CALCEDONIA

CALCEDONIA — Today Kadiköy, founded by the Megarians in the 7th century BC, lies on the coast of Bithynia opposite Byzantium. In 74 BC it passed to the Romans but remained a free city. It was destroyed by the Goths under Emperor Gallienus; in 616 it suffered an invasion by the Persians, but always remained part of the Byzantine Empire. Christianity in C. must have been introduced from its very beginnings; nevertheless, the year in which it became an episcopal see cannot be precisely determined. Venerated throughout the world was its martyr St Euphemia, in whose basilica the famous Ecumenical Council of 451 was held (see below). C. counted among its bishops Mari, one of the first and most obstinate Arians, and Heraclianus in the 6th century, author of works against the Manichees and Monophysites. With the establishment of the Latin Empire of the East, C. also had its Latin bishops. The present titular see also has a metropolitan for Armenians and an archbishop for Syrians, both titular. Within the boundaries of the diocese of C. lies Chrysopolis (today Scutari), where Licinius was defeated by Constantine (324) and where St Maximus the Confessor lived (580–662), who so recently upheld orthodoxy against the threats of Monothelitism defended by nearby Constantinople. The population numbers about 30,000, half of them Greek; the rest are Armenians, Muslims, and Jews; Catholics (Latin and Armenian) number about 5,000; the Protestant colony is small.