Hosius or Osius

(῎Οσιος, the saint), an early Christian bishop, was born probably about A.D. 256. It is doubtful whether he was a native of Spain, but he was bishop of the see of Cordova, Spain, for some sixty years. He was a particular favorite of the emperor Constantine, who is said to have been converted to Christianity under the instrumentality of Hosius, by offering him, as an inducement, the remission of his sins, a satisfaction which the heathen priests were unable to grant. He was present at the Council held at Eliberi or Elvira (q.v.), near Granada (305 or 306), and suffered for his faith (confessus sum, as he says in his letter to Constantine) during the persecutions of Diocletian and Maximianus. In 324 Constantine sent him to Alexandria, to settle the dispute between Alexander and Arius, also the troubles which had arisen concerning the observance of the Easter festival. He failed in this mission, but still remained in favor with the emperor. He took part in the Council of Nice (325), where Baronius claims that. Hosius attended as legate of the pope; but this is not generally conceded even by Roman Catholic historians. Hosius's signature is the first amongst the subscriptions to the acts of this council. He pronounced (ἐξέδετο) or drew up (according to Tillemont) the symbol or confession of faith of Nice. In 347 he presided at the Council of Sardica, called by order of the emperors Constantius and Constans at the request of Athanasius. In 355 Constantius desired him to take part in the condemnation of Athanasius, but Hosius replied by a letter, recalling all he had suffered on behalf of the faith, and closing with an earnest defense of Athanasius. A second attempt of Constantius, who called him to Milan, met with the same opposition, and likewise a third, Hosius, who was then nearly a hundred years old, still refusing to condemn Athanasius. This decided stand in favor of Athanasius finally caused Hosius's banishment in 355. At length, worn out by imprisonment, he consented to give countenance to Arianism in a formula which was presented to-the Synod of Sirmium (357). He was permitted to return again to his see, where he died in 359. Athanasius and Augustine praise his virtues and excuse his weakness. See Athanasius, Hist. Arian. ad Monach. c. 42, 44; Augustine, Cont. Epistolam Perneniani, 1, 7; Eusebius, De Vit. Constantini, 2:63; 3:7; Socrates, Hist. Eccl. 1, 7, 8; 2:20, 29, 31; Sozomen, 1, 10, 16,17; 3. 11; Tillemont., Memoires pour servir A1'Hist. Eccl. 7, 300; Baronius, Ann. Eccl.; Galland, Biblioth. Patrum, vol. 5 Proleg. c. 8; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Géneralé, 25:209; Herzog, Real- Encyklop. 6, 275 sq.; Mosheim, Ch. Hist. 1, 245; Hefele, Conciliengesch. 1, 33 sq.; Neander, Church Hist. 2:154, 371, 398, 404; Schaff, Ch. Hist. 3, 627, 635 sq.; Schröckh, Kirchengesch. 5, 343 sq., 349, 354 sq., 364; 6, 83, 140; Stanley, Eastern Ch. (see Index); Milman, Latin Christianity, 1, 99, 101; Baur, Dogmengesch. 1, 146; Riddle, Hist. of the Papacy, 1, 127 sq., 135,140; Wetzer und Welte, Kirchen-Lex. 5, 336 sq.; Aschbach, Kirchen Lex. 3, 331 sq. (J. H.W.)