Zopyrus (bishop of Barca) explained

Zopyrus (Bishop of Barca), (Ζώπυρος) was a bishop of the ancient Roman Town of Barca in Cyrenica,^[1] (Marj, Libya, North Africa).^[2]

Zopyros ^[3] is best known to history as an attendee present at the Council of Nicaea in 325.^{[4] [5] [6]} He was one of the Arian Bishops at that Council. Even though Arius (the founder of Arianism) and his bishop Secundus of Ptolemais were from the neighboring city (and Barca's port) of Ptolemais, Cyrenaica, Zopyrus eventually signed the Nicean Creed with the other Arian supporters, Theognis of Nicaea, Eusebius of Nicomedia and Maris of Chalcedon.^[7] He (probably) did not sign the condemnation of Arius.^{[8] [9] [10]} It is unclear if he was exiled with the other three Arian bishops.

Notes and References

1. Mansi, Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, vol.II, coll. 693 e 698.
2. Herbermann, Charles, ed., "Barca". Catholic Encyclopedia. (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1913)
3. the name Zephyrius is a mistake.
4. Gelzer, Patrum Nicaenorum nomina, 231.
5. Lequien, Oriens Christ., II, 625: Gams, Series episcop., 462.
6. Gams, Series episcop., 462.
7. Mansi, Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, op. cit., vol.IV, coll. 1221 e 1367.
8. [Edward Gibbon]
9. [Jonathan Kirsch]
10. Charles Freeman, The Closing of the Western Mind: The Rise of Faith and the Fall of Reason, 2002.