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Little is known of the early life of Eudoxius. Between 324 and c.331, when St. [[Eustathius of Antioch|Eustasthius]] was Bishop of Antioch, Eudoxius approached him seeking holy orders. Upon examination of Eudoxius’ doctrine, Eustasthius found it unsound, that is non-orthodox, and refused him. Eustasthius, unpopular with the Arian leaning [[bishop]]s of the East, was deposed by a [[synod]] of [[bishop]]s about the year 332. Later, Eudoxius was accepted by the Arian bishops, admitted to the [[Holy Orders|holy orders]] by Leontius of Antioch, and consecrated Bishop of Germanicia, a position he held for about seventeen years. This was the period of intrigues by the [[arianism|Arians]] against St. [[Athanasius of Alexandria]] and the reigns of the sons of Constantine I.
In 341, Eudoxius participated in a dedication council convened by Placillus at Antioch. At the time Eudoxius was a disciple of the [[Anomoeanism|Anomoean]] [[Aetius of Antioch|Aëtius]], an extreme Arian. The council produced four versions of the creed that the semi-Arians, under Eusebian, succeeded in modifying the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|Creed of Nicea]] to dilute the homoousios doctrine of Nicea. The second of these versions, called the Creed of Dedication, Athanasius reported that Eudoxius, with Martyrius and [[Macedonius I of Constantinople|Macedonius]], took to Italy, but which was not acceptable to the Roman [[priest]]s. In 358, Eudoxius participated in the semi-Arian dominated council of Phlippopolis, and signed an Arian version of the creed produced there. Upon hearing of the death of Leonitius, Eudoxius excused himself from the council, pleaded business in his [[diocese]], and proceeded to Antioch. There, he represented himself as the Emperor’s nominee and became Bishop of Antioch, having deserted his diocese. His representation was disowned by Emperor Constantine II.
In Antioch, Eudoxius openly preached Arianism and persecuted the Orthodox. At the Arian dominated Council of Seleucia in September 359, Eudoxius, who was present, was [[deposition|deposed]] by the semi-Arians. He then appeared to have sought shelter in Constantinople with the imperial court. In 360, the Bishop of Constantinople, Macedonius, an Arian, was deposed by the Acacian party of Arians and selected Eudoxius as the Bishop of Constantinople.