Emperor Theodosius and His Son

Emperor Theodosius at one time denied the deity of Christ. When his son Arcadius was 16 years old, the emperor decided to make him his partner in the government of the nation. The great men of the land assembled to congratulate the new wearer of the imperial purple. Among them was a bishop named Amphilocus, who made an able address to the emperor and was about to, when Theodosius cried, “What! Do you take no notice of my son?”

Then the man of God went up to the lad Arcadius and, putting his hand upon his head, said, “The Lord bless thee, my son.”

The emperor was furious and shouted, “What! Is this all the respect you give to a prince whom I have made of equal dignity with myself?”

Amphilocus replied, “Sir, you do so highly resent my apparent neglect of your son because I do not give him equal honors with yourself. Then what must the eternal God think of you when you degrade His Co-equal and Co-eternal Son to the level of one of His creatures?”

It is said that the Emperor judged the reproof to be just.