Eusebius was born around 263 in Caesarea Maritima, acity in theRomanprovince ofJudea, in what is nowCaesarea, Israel.[2]
He was taught by a Christian teacher calledPamphilus, and took the name Eusebius Pamphili (“the son or servant of Pamphilus”) to honor him.[1]
At this time,Christians were widely persecuted. Pamphilus wasmartyred by Roman officials in 310. After his teacher's death, Eusebius fled toTyre and then to Egypt, where he was brieflyimprisoned.[1]
In 313 Eusebius becameBishop of Caesarea.[2]
Main article:First Council of Nicaea
Eusebius participated in theFirst Council of Nicaea gathered byRoman Emperor Constantine I in 325. There, Church leaders and theologians met to discuss variousChristian beliefs and practices, and decide which would be officially included inCatholicism.[3]
One topic they discussed wasArius, apriest who said thatGod andJesus were notthe same. This was a controversial belief, and Eusebius had written several letters on the subject, at times defending Arius.[2]
During thecouncil of Caesarea in 325, Catholic leaders had ruled that Arius's beliefs agreed with Catholicism. However, leaders at the First Council of Nicaea disagreed. Arius wasexcommunicated.[3] The leaders created theNicene Creed, a statement of Catholic beliefs that Eusebius supported.[3][4] It states specifically that God, Jesus, and theHoly Spiritare the same.[2]
Eusebius took part in the Councils of Antioch (330) and of Tyre (335). In the first, a bishop namedEustathius was removed from his position;[5][6] in the second,Athanasius (the Bishop ofAlexandria) was excommunicated.[7]
