So Abu ʿUbayd Allah, Ḥubāsa, and their troops fled before him, and he dedicated the feast day—and the sacrificial offerings—to the Archangel Michael.
To this very day the Copts of Egypt and Alexandria keep the Feast of the Archangel Michael on that date, slaughtering many animals in sacrifice; the Melkites do likewise, and the practice has remained in force until now.
He said:
When the Patriarch of Alexandria barred Arius from entering the church and pronounced an anathema upon him, Arius left in order to bring a complaint against him, accompanied by two bishops, and they appealed to Emperor Constantine.
Arius said, “He has exceeded his authority and expelled me from the church unjustly.”
He therefore asked the emperor to summon Alexander, the Patriarch of Alexandria, so that he might debate him in the imperial presence.
Constantine sent an envoy to Alexandria, brought the patriarch, and assembled him with Arius for the debate. Constantine then said to Arius, “Explain your doctrine.”