Gerontius

Gerontius a Latin prelate, lived in the 4th century of the Christian aera. He was deacon of. Milan under St. Ambrose. One day. he related that he had seen in a dream the female dsemon, Onoscelis (ὀνοσκελίς, a specter with ass's legs). Ambrose heard of this and condemned him to do penance. Instead of obeying, Gerontius went to Constantinople, made friends at court, and obtained the bishopric of Nicomedia. Ambrose protested against this ordination, and urged Nectarius, patriarch of. Constantinople, to depose the new bishop. Although Nectarius did not do this, two years later it was accomplished by Chrysostom, who visited Asia in 399. The inhabitants of Nicomedia, whose love he had gained by his pleasing manners and his charity, complained bitterly at this, and the result was that the number of enemies of the patriarch was augmented, and Gerontius figured at the synod of 403 as one of the accusers of Chrysostom. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Smith, Dict. of Christ. Biog. s.v

⇒See also the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.