Hierarch
Hierarch Philogonius, Bishop of Antioch
кон. III в. — ок. 323/324
Saint Philogonius, Bishop of Antioch — a former advocate, elected bishop in 314, who firmly defended orthodox teaching at the outset of the Arian controversy; his memory is honored by a surviving panegyric of St. John Chrysostom.
CRITICAL IMAGE NOTE: the sole image has been removed — inspection showed it to be a miniature with the Greek inscription "ATHANASIOS" — a completely different, far more famous hierarch (likely St. Athanasius the Great of Alexandria), unrelated to Philogonius.
Saint Philogonius, Bishop of Antioch (late 3rd century – c. 323/324), was a native of Antioch in Syria. Before entering holy orders he was a respected advocate, renowned for eloquence and moral integrity, who reportedly defended the poor, widows, and orphans in court without charge. He was married and had a daughter; after his wife's death he withdrew from public life.
In 314, as an exception to the canonical requirement of prior priestly service, he was chosen Bishop of Antioch, succeeding Bishop Vitalius. On receiving a synodal letter from Bishop Alexander of Alexandria condemning Arius's teaching, Philogonius firmly upheld orthodox doctrine and kept the heresy from taking root in his diocese. He endured the persecutions of Maximian and Licinius as a confessor of the faith.
He died peacefully around 323/324, and was soon succeeded by St. Eustathius of Antioch, a father of the First Ecumenical Council. In 386 the presbyter (later archbishop) John Chrysostom preached a panegyric on Philogonius's feast day in Antioch — a homily that survives and remains the primary source for his life.