[3] The council however did not accomplish the hopes of the Pope due to the overwhelming number of Arian bishops present and the enforced absence of the champion of the Nicaean faith, Eusebius of Vercelli.

Initially Dionysius seemed ready to follow the Arians in condemning the Nicaean Athanasius of Alexandria, who was accused not of heresy but of lese-majesty against the Emperor.

Eusebius, the Papal legate Lucifer of Cagliari and Dionysius signed, but the Arian bishop Valens of Mursia violently shredded the act of faith.

Dionysius was exiled in Caesarea of Cappadocia and was substituted as bishop of Milan by the Arian Auxentius appointed by the Emperor.

[4] A shrine dedicated to Dionysius was erected in Milan near Porta Venezia but it was destroyed in 1549, rebuild nearby and definitely knocked down in 1783 to leave space for the new gardens.