Church History X 5

Come, then, let us now set forth also the interpretations, translated from the language of the Romans, of the imperial ordinances of Constantine and Licinius. A copy of imperial ordinances translated from the Roman tongue.

Already long ago, considering that freedom of worship ought not to be denied, but that authority should be given to the mind and will of each one to attend to divine matters according to his own choice, we had commanded each man—and the Christians too—to keep the faith of their own sect and worship.

But since many and diverse sects seemed plainly to have been added in that rescript, in which this same authority was granted to those persons, perhaps some of them, after a little, were repelled from such observance.

When I, Constantine Augustus, and I, Licinius Augustus, had auspiciously come to Milan, and held in consideration all things that pertained to the advantage and benefit of the public, among the rest of the matters which seemed to be profitable for all in general—or rather, first of all—we resolved to ordain those things in which reverence and worship toward the Divine were involved; that is, that we should give both to the Christians and to all men free choice to follow whatever worship they will, so that whatever there is of divinity and of heavenly matter may be able to be favourable to us and to all who live under our authority.

Therefore this our will we have decreed by sound and most upright reasoning: that to no one whatsoever should authority be denied of following and choosing the observance or worship of the Christians, and that to each one authority should be given to devote his mind to that worship which he himself judges to suit him, so that the Divine may be able in all things to grant us its accustomed care and benevolence.

And it was fitting that we should write that these things thus please us, so that, when the sects were wholly removed which were contained in our former letters sent to your Devotedness concerning the Christians, and which seemed to be very harsh and alien to our clemency—these should be done away; and now each one of those who have held this same purpose of keeping the worship of the Christians may freely and without hindrance observe this very thing, without any molestation.

These things we have resolved to declare most fully to your Care, that you may know that we have given to these same Christians free and unrestricted authority to attend to their own worship.

And since this has been granted by us to them without restriction, your Devotedness perceives that authority has been given to others also, to those who wish, to follow their own observance and worship; which it is evident is done in accordance with the tranquillity of our times, so that each one may have authority to choose and to attend to whatever divinity he will. This has been done by us, lest we should seem to have diminished any honour or any worship.

And this also, besides the rest, we decree concerning the persons of the Christians: that their places, in which it was formerly their custom to assemble—concerning which a different form had been prescribed in the letters formerly given to your Devotedness for the earlier time—if any appear to have purchased these either from our treasury or from anyone else, they shall restore them to these same Christians without money and without any demand of the price, all negligence and ambiguity being set aside; and if any happen to have received these same places as a gift, they shall restore them to these same Christians as quickly as possible.

Likewise, if either those who have purchased these same places, or those who have received them as a gift, request anything from our benevolence, let them approach the prefect who administers justice in those parts, so that provision may be made for them too through our kindness. All these things shall need to be delivered over to the body of the Christians forthwith, through your diligence, without any delay.

And since the same Christians are known to have had not only those places to which it was their custom to assemble, but also other places belonging not to each one of them individually, but to the right of their body—that is, of the Christians—you shall command all these things, under the law which we have stated above, to be restored without any dispute whatsoever to these same Christians, that is, to their body and assembly, to each one of them; the aforesaid reasoning being of course observed, namely that those who restore the same without price, as we have stated above, may hope for their own indemnity from our benevolence.

In all these things you ought to afford your most effective diligence to the aforesaid body of the Christians, that our command may be fulfilled as quickly as possible, so that in this too, through our kindness, provision may be made for the common and public tranquillity.

For by this reasoning, as has been stated above, the divine care toward us, of which we have already had experience in many matters, shall continue firmly throughout all time.

And that the terms of this our legislation and benevolence may be able to be brought to the knowledge of all, it is fitting that these things written by us should be set up everywhere and brought to the knowledge of all, so that the legislation of this our benevolence may be able to escape no one.

A copy of another imperial ordinance which they made afterward, indicating that the gift had been given to the Catholic Church alone. Greeting, Anulinus, most honoured by us. It is the manner of our love of good, that those things which belong by right to another should not only not be molested, but that we should wish them also to be restored, most honoured Anulinus.

Wherefore we will that, when you receive this letter, if any of those things which belonged to the Catholic Church of the Christians in each of the cities, or even in other places, are now held either by citizens or by any others, you shall cause these to be restored forthwith to their churches; since we have determined that those things which these same churches formerly possessed shall be restored to their right.

Since therefore your Devotedness perceives that the command of this our ordinance is most clear, make haste—whether gardens, or houses, or whatever else belonged to the right of these same churches—that all be restored to them as quickly as possible, that we may learn that you have rendered most careful obedience to this our command. Farewell, Anulinus, most honoured and most longed for by us.

A copy of an imperial letter by which he commands a synod of bishops to be held at Rome for the unity and concord of the churches. Constantine Augustus to Miltiades, bishop of the Romans, and to Mark. Since such documents have been sent to me in large number from Anulinus, the most illustrious proconsul of Africa, in which it is set forth that Caecilian, the bishop of the city of the Carthaginians, is being called to account by certain of his colleagues established throughout Africa in many matters—and this seems to me very grievous, that in these provinces which divine Providence of its own accord entrusted to my Devotedness (and there a great multitude of people), the populace should be found persisting in the worse course, as though dissenting, and that there should be differences between the bishops—

—it seemed good to me that Caecilian himself, with ten bishops of those who seem to call him to account, and ten others whom he himself may suppose necessary for his own case, should not delay to go by sea to Rome, that there, in your presence, and also that of Reticius and Maternus and Marinus, your colleagues, whom for this purpose I have commanded to hasten to Rome, he may be able to be heard, as you may learn to be fitting to the most venerable law.

But that you may be able to have most full knowledge concerning all these matters, having subjoined to my letter copies of the documents sent to me from Anulinus, I have dispatched them to your aforesaid colleagues; on perusing which your Steadfastness will judge in what manner the aforesaid case ought to be most carefully examined and brought to a just conclusion; since it does not escape even your diligence that I render so great reverence to the lawful Catholic Church that I will in no way that you should leave any schism or dissension whatsoever in any place. May the Divinity of the great God preserve you for many years, most honoured.

A copy of an imperial letter by which he commands a second synod to be held for the removal of all dissension among the bishops. Constantine Augustus to Chrestus, bishop of the Syracusans. Already before, when some began wickedly and perversely to separate themselves concerning the worship of the holy and heavenly Power and concerning the Catholic sect, wishing to cut short such contentions of theirs, I had so disposed matters that, certain bishops having been sent from Gaul, and these too having been summoned from Africa, of the opposing party, who were contending correspondingly with persistence and obstinacy, and the bishop of Rome being present, that which seemed to have been stirred up might, by their presence and with all careful discrimination, be able to attain correction.

But since, as it happens, certain persons, forgetting both their own salvation and the reverence owed to the most holy sect, even now do not cease to prolong their own enmities, being unwilling to agree with the judgment already pronounced, and alleging that, forsooth, only a few set forth their opinions and decisions, or that, without all things that ought to be inquired into having first been accurately examined, they hastened all too quickly and sharply to pronounce the judgment—and from all these things it comes to pass that these very persons, who ought to have brotherly and like-minded unanimity, are shamefully, or rather abominably, separated from one another, and give to men whose souls are alien from this most holy religion an occasion of mockery—whence it has become incumbent upon me to provide that this, which ought to have ceased by voluntary agreement after the judgment already pronounced, may even now at last be able, with many present, to attain its end.

Since therefore we have commanded very many bishops from different and innumerable places to come together to the city of the Arelatensians by the Kalends of August, we have thought to write to you also, that, having taken from the most illustrious Latronianus, the corrector of Sicily, a public conveyance, and having yoked to yourself also two of those of the second rank, whomever you yourself may judge to choose, and having taken besides three servants able to minister to you along the way, you may arrive at the aforesaid place within the same day;

so that, through your Steadfastness and through the rest of the like-minded and concordant understanding of those assembling, this also—which up to now has wickedly remained through certain shameful wranglings—when all that is to be said by those now separated from one another (whom we have likewise commanded to be present) has been heard, may be able, even if slowly, to be recalled to the worship and faith that is due, and to brotherly concord. May God the Almighty preserve you in health for many years. A copy of an imperial letter by which money is given to the churches.