A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

16. ARCHAPH, Ἀρχάφ, an Egyptian schismatic, contemporary with Athanasius. Melitius, an Egyptian bishop, and author of a schism among the Egyptian clergy, having been condemned at the council of Nice A. D. 325, was really bent, while apparently submitting to the judgment of the council, on maintaining his party : and just before his death, which occurred shortly after the council broke up, prepared Joannes or John, surnamed Archaph, one of his partisans, and apparently Melitian bishop of Memphis, to assume the leadership of the body. John did so; and the Melitians being supported in their attacks on the orthodox party by the Arians, the schism became as violent as ever. Athanasius, now patriarch of Alexandria, and leader of the orthodox party [ATHANASIUS], was the great object of attack : and John and his followers sought to throw on him the odium of originating the disturbances and of persecuting his opponents; and especially they charged him with the murder of Arsenius, a Melitian bishop, whom they had secreted in order to give colour to the charge. [ATHANASIUS.] Athanasius on his part appealed to the emperor, Constantine the Great, charging John and his followers with unsoundness in the faith, with a desire to alter the decrees of the Nicene council, and with raising tumults and insulting the orthodox; he also objected to them, as being irregularly ordained. He refuted their charges, especially the charge of murder, ascertaining that Arsenius was alive, and obliged them to remain quiet. John professed to repent of his disorderly proceedings, and to be reconciled to Athanasius; and returned with his party into the communion of the orthodox church : but the reconciliation was not sincere or lasting : troubles broke out again, and a fresh separation took place; John and his followers either being ejected from communion by the Athanasian party, or their return opposed. The council of Tyre (A. D. 335), in which the opponents of Athanasius were triumphant, ordered them to be re-admitted; but the emperor deeming John to be a contentious man, or, at least, thinking that his presence was incompatible with the peace of the Egyptian church, banished him (A. D. 336) just after he had banished Athanasius into Gaul. The place of his exile, and his subsequent fate, are not known. (Sozomen, H. E. 2.21, 22, 25, 31; Athanasius, Apol. contra Arianos, 100.65-67, 70, 71; Tillemont, Mémoires, vol. vi. passim, vol. viii. passim.)