Sergestns, in Grecian mythology, was a companion of ^Mieas, who is named in connection with the sailing- match instituted by iEneas, His vessel stuck fast on a rock; but he was nevertheless rewarded with tlie gift of a female slave from the hero (Virgil, A-^nvid, i, 510 ; V, 121, etc.).
Sergiots (SiiRoiETs, or SpmciiSTs), a section of the Paulicians wlio hehl in veneration the memory and writ- ings of one Sergius, who lived at tlie beginning of the 9th century. His eflTorts le<l to a division — his followers being known as Sergiots, and his opponents Haanites, af- ter the name of their leader, IJaanes. Sec Paulicians.
Ser'gius Paui.us (Gnucized "IfpyioQ UavXoQ, a Latin name), a Roman proconsul in command at Cyprus who was converted by the jireaching of Paul and Barna- bas (Acts xiii, 7). A.D. 44, Sergius is described by the
SERGIUS
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SERIPANDI
evangelist as a " discreet" or " intelligent" man ; bj'^ which we are probably to understand that he was a man of large and liberal views, and of an inquiring turn of mind. Hence he had entertained Elymas, and hence also he became curious to hear the new doctrine which the apostle brought to the island. The strongest minds at that period were drawn with a singular fascination to the occult studies of the East ; and the ascendency which Luke represents the "sorcerer" as having gained over Sergius illustrates a characteristic feature of the times. For other examples of a similar character, see Conybeare and Howson, Life and Epistles of St. Paul, i, 177 sq. But Sergius was not effectually or long deceived by the arts of the impostor; for, on becoming acquainted with the apostle, he examined at once the claims of the Gospel, and yielded his mind to the evidence of its truth. Noth- ing of his history subsequent to his conversion is known from Scripture. There is no reason to suppose that he abandoned his post as governor of Cj'prus ; but the legends assert that he did so, and followed Paul; and that eventually he went with the apostle into Spain, and was left by him at Narbonne, in France, of which he became the bishop, and died there.
The title (inaccurately rendered "deputy" [q. v.]) given to this functionary exhibits one of those minute accuracies which, apart from their inspiration, would substantiate the sacred book as a genuine and contem- porary record. Cyprus was originaUj^ a j)7-cet07~ian prov- ince {(jrpariJYiKi'i), and not proconsula?- ; but it was left by Augustus under the senate, and hence was governed by a proconsul (av^vTraTOi;), as stated by the evangel- ist (Acts xiii, 6, 8, 12; see Dion Cass, liv, 523; Kuinol, on Acts xiii, 7. For the value of this attestation to Luke's accuracy, see Lardner, Credibility of the Gospel Narrative, i, 32 sq.). Coins, too, are still extant on which this very title, ascribed in the Acts to Sergius Paulus, occurs as the title of the Roman governors of Cyprus (see Akerman, Numismatic Illustrations, p. 41; Cony- beare and Howson, Life and Epistles of St. Paul, i, 17G, 187). — Kitto; Smith, See Cyprus.
Sergius, St. Several saints and martyrs occur who bear this name.
1. One is usually associated with a martyr named Bacchus, like himself a native of Rome. It is related that they were accused of being Christians, and exiled by the emperor Maximian. When nothing could induce them to sacrifice to idols, Bacchus was tortured to death and his body thrown to wild beasts, who, however, would not harm it. Sergius was then taken to Rosaph, in Syria, and tortured, but comforted by an apparition of Bacchus, while his wounds were healed bj' an angel. He was beheaded in 290; and the emperor Justinian is credited with having changed the name of Rosaph to Sergiopolis, while the martyr's relics were preserved in the church of that town. Oct. 7 was set apart for the commemoration of Sergius and Bacchus.
2. Anotlier Sergius, whose daj' occurs on Jan. 23, is said to have been martyred under Diocletian ; and a third was a monk in the Convent of Mar Saba, in Pal- estine, and, together with other monks, was attacked and slain by robbers in the year 797. His day is on March 30,
3. Sergius, surnamed the Confessor, was born at Con- stantinople, lived in the former half of the 9th century, and wrote J)e Rebus in Re Puhlica et Ecclesia Oestis — a history of the iconoclastic controversy from the Romish point of view, which embraced the period from Constan- tino Copronymus to IMichael H Balbus, but is now lost. He was taken prisoner while defending the worship of images (according to some statements, in the reign of Leo the Lsaurian ; according to others, in that of The- ophilus), dejjrivcd of his goods, and exiled; for wliich reason Photius termed him the Confessor. The saints' calendar of the Greek Church assigns May 13 as his day. See Ausfiihrl. Beilujen-Lexikon nehst heigefiigt. Heil.-Kalender (Cologne and Frankfort, 1719), p, 2006 Bq. — Herzog, Real-Erucyklop, s. v.
Sergius, the name of several Roman Catholic pon- tiffs.
I, pope from 687 to 701, contemporary with the Ven- erable Bede, was born at Antioch and reared at Paler- mo. The most noteworthy event of his administration was a dispute with the Eastern Church, which ulti- mately led to the separation of the East from the West. The emperor Justinian II had convoked an oecumenical council {Concilium Quinsextum) at Constantinople, and legates were sent to attend it by Sergius, who signed its decrees ; but, as six decrees had been passed which were contrary to the practice of Rome (e. g. omitting nearly all the Latin councils and papal decretals from the list of authentic sources of Church law, acknowledging the validity of the whole eighty-five canones apostolici, de- nouncing the celibacy of the clergy, prohibiting fasting on Saturdays during Quadragesima, making the patri- arch of Constantinople equal to the pope, etc.), the pope forbade their promulgation. The emperor ordered the imprisonment of the refractory pope, but was himself dethroned after a revolt in his army. Rome contiimed to reject this council, and this occasioned the disputes which subsequently divided the Church. Sergius suc- ceeded, on the other hand, in restoring the communion with Rome of the churches which had been alienated through the Controveisy of the Three Chajtters. The other prominent incidents of his pontificate were the founding of the bishopric of Utrecht by Willibrod, and the issuing of an ordinance by which the Agnus Dei was required to be sung three times before the commun- ion in the service of the mass. Oct. 9 was set apart in commemoration of this pope.