Eugenius

, catholic bishop of Carthage, was elected to that see in the year 480 or 481, in the reign of Hunneric, and at the request of the emperor Zeno, and for some time presided over that diocese without disturbance. In the year 483, however, Hunneric issued a proclamation, ordering all the bishops who believed in the trinitarian doctrine, to appear at Carthage, and hold a conference with the Arian bishops. The catholics at first remonstrated against obeying this order without the approbation of the transmarine bishops. The meeting, however, having taken place, the first debates were respecting the title of Catholics, by which Eugenius and his party were distinguished, and the title of Patriarch assumed by Cyrita, the head of the Arian bishops. Eugenics then presented a confession of faith, or statement of his principles, and offered to defend them in argument with the Arians; but Hunneric, who was himself an Arian, not only refused to hear him, but banished all the catholic bishops, and among them Eugenius, who was sentenced to the desarts in the province of Tripoly, where he remained until the death of Hunneric in the year 484. During the reign of Gondebald, he continued on his diocese in peace; but Thrasamund, the next king, banished him again, into that part of Gaul where Alaricus, king of the Visigoths, then reigned. Eugenius retired to Albi, where he was unmolested during the remainder of his life. He died at Viance in that territory, Sept. 6, in the year 505. There are some small discourses of his extant, in defence of the catholic faith, as, “Expositio fidei Catholici;” “Apologeticus pro fide;” “Altercatio cum Arianis,” &c. ²