Rufinus, the Syrian

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 881that 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).

[W.H.F.]