School of Antiochwriter
Who he was
- He became a monk at an early age, and acquired prestige for his austere asceticism.
- During this time, he corresponded with St. Basil the Great and St. Epiphanius of Salamis.
- He was at first friendly with St. John Chrysostom, but because of personal differences, Acacius became one of his opponents.
- Meletius of Antioch ordained him bishop of Beroea in 378.
- Acacius took part in the Council of Constantinople in 381, after which he was sent to Pope Damasus in Rome in an unsuccessful attempt to solve the schism of Antioch.
- Old age prevented him from attending the Council of Ephesus,
nevertheless he had a decisive role in the negotiations between St. Cyril of Alexandria and John of Antioch which led to the union formula of 433. He died soon after.
What he wrote
- Of what must have been a vast correspondence, only six letters remain. - One is addressed to St. Cyril of Alexandria in favor of Nestorius and recommends peace. It is extant in the Greek original and in a Latin translation. - Two others sent to the Nestorian Alexander of Hierapolis, deal with the agreement to be reached between St. Cyril of Alexandria and the bishops of Antioch. They are preserved in a Latin
version only.
- The Confession fidei attributed to him seems to be spurious.