Macarius I of Jerusalem, Saint

MACARIO I di GERUSALEMME, saint. - He was the 39th bishop of Jerusalem from 313 to 334.

He is found among those present at the Council of Nicaea (325), where he proved a bitter opponent of Arius, from whose heresy he sought with all his strength to preserve his flock. Arius himself regarded him as one of his most vigorous enemies (cf. letter to Eusebius of Nicomedia in Theodoret, Hist. eccl., I, 4: PG 82, 911). The so-called Nicene Creed is partly his work. His name is especially linked to the construction of the Constantinian basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, which the Emperor entrusted to him, asking him to make it the most beautiful of all churches (cf. Eusebius, Hist. eccl., III, 30-32: PG 20, 1090-94). Feast day: 10 March.

BIBL.: Acta SS. Martii, II, Anversa 1668, p. 34 sgg.; A. Heisenberg, Grabskirche u. Apostelkirche, I, Lipsia 1908, p. 66 sgg., 167 sgg.; H. Vincent and F. M. Abel, Jérusalem. Recherches de topographie, d'archéologie et d'histoire, II, Parigi 1914, pp. 154-180; 903-908. Celestino Testore

Cite this article

“MACARIO I DI GERUSALEMME, SANTO.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. VII (1951), p. 1040. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/macario-i-di-gerusalemme-santo.