Rufinus (5), a friend of Jerome; known as the Syrian, to distinguish him from (3) and (4), both his contemporaries. He was one of the company of Italians settled at Bethlehem with Jerome; and in 390 was sent by him to Rome and Milan in the cause of their friend Claudius, who was accused of a capital offence (Hieron. Ep. lxxxi. 2; cont. Ruf. iii. 24).

This Rufinus is doubtless the one mentioned

by Celestius (Aug. de Pecc. Orig. c. 3 ) as having been known by him at the house of Pammachius at Rome and having asserted there

Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century/Rufinus, the Syrian

that sin was not inherited. Marius Mercator

says that it was this Rufinus who instilled

into the mind of Pelagius the views known as

Pelagian (Mar. Merc. Lib. Subnotationum in Verba Juliani, c. 2).

Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century/Rufinus, the Syrian

[W.H.F.]

Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century/Rufinus, the Syrian