Paphnutius of Thebais

Paphnutius Of Thebais, a noted martyr of the early Church, flourished near the opening of the 4th century as bishop of a city in the Upper Thebais. During the Maximian persecutions he lost an eye, and was sent into the mountains. Paphnutius's ascetical life and martyrdom made him notorious, and he was brought to the attention of the emperor Constantine, who learned to highly esteem him. When quite aged he attended as delegate the Nicaean Council (A.D. 325), and there opposed the proposition for the celibate life of the clergy. The doubts as to the authenticity of Paphnutius's opposition are dispelled by Lea in his Hist. of Sacerdotcl Celibacy (p. 54). See also Neale; Hist. of the Eastern Church (patriarchate of Alexandria), 1:147 sq.; Socrates, Hist. Eccles. I, 11. Paphnutius probably attended also the synod at Sardica in A.D. 343. He died after that event. Another Paphnutius was a follower of Theophilus, and an opponent of the extravagant anthropomorphism. He flourished about the close of the 4th century.