The Eastern bishops at Antioch responded contentiously, Their letter lacks just cause for complaint, They claim synod judgments are dishonored, They violated Nicaea’s synod by reinstating Arians, Their zeal for synod decrees is feigned, They falsely cite time constraints for not attending Rome, Time constraints are no excuse for causing schism, They wrongly complain Julius wrote only to Eusebians, Athanasius and Marcellus were rightly restored to communion, Mareotic proceedings were invalid with only one party present, Many witnesses refute the Mareotic proceedings’ falsehoods, Their falsehoods are proven by their own records, Athanasius’s innocence is shown by his confidence in Rome, Gregory’s ordination was illegitimate, Other Mareotic proceedings deserve reproach, Marcellus is declared orthodox, Julius writes not to defend but to justify their restoration, Many bishops report Arian atrocities, Eusebians, not Julius, cause discord, Athanasius and Marcellus were received without bias, If deemed guilty, they should face trial in Rome, Alexandria’s bishop should not be judged without Julius’s knowledge, Judgments not following the Gospel are invalid.
