Apollinarius was born ca. 310–315 at Laodicea in Syria. He was the son of an Alexandrian native, also named Apollinarius, who was a grammarian by profession. The elder Apollinarius came to Laodicea to serve the church as a presbyter, and eventually the younger Apollinarius served the same church as a reader. At some point between 328 and 335 both father and son were excommunicated by their bishop, Theodotus of Laodicea, who was a member of the Eusebian alliance and a supporter of Arius, for listening against Christian custom to the recitation of a pagan hymn. Both were soon, however, readmitted to communion after the appropriate penance. In 346 Apollinarius was again excommunicated, this time by the new Laodicean bishop, George, another member of the Eusebian alliance (and later a guiding spirit of the Homoiousian movement), for meeting with Athanasius of Alexandria. It is unclear, however, whether the sentence could be or ever was put into effect. It was probably at this point that Apollinarius and the Alexandrian bishop began a lifelong friendship and sharing of theological sympathies.