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Let us finally subjoin the translations from the Roman tongue of the
imperial decrees of Constantine and Licinius.
Copy of imperial decrees translated from the Roman tongue."
"Perceiving long ago that religious liberty ought not to be denied,
but that it ought to be granted to the judgment and desire of each
individual to perform his religious duties according to his own choice,
we had given orders that every man, Christians as well as others,
should preserve the faith of his own sect and religion. But since in
that rescript, in which such liberty was granted them, many and
various conditions seemed clearly added, some of them, it may be,
after a little retired from such observance. When I, Constantine
Augustus, and I, Licinius Augustus, came under favorable auspices
to Milan and took under consideration everything which pertained to the
common weal and prosperity, we resolved among other things, or rather
first of all, to make such decrees as seemed in many respects for the
benefit of every one; namely, such as should preserve reverence and
piety toward the deity. We resolved, that is, to grant both to the
Christians and to all men freedom to follow the religion which they
choose, that whatever heavenly divinity exists may be propitious to us
and to all that live under our government.
We have, therefore, determined, with sound and upright purpose,
that liberty is to be denied to no one, to choose and to follow the
religious observances of the Christians, but that to each one freedom
is to be given to devote his mind to that religion which he may think
adapted to himself, in order that the Deity may exhibit to us in all
things his accustomed care and favor. It was fitting that we should
write that this is our pleasure, that those conditions being entirely
left out which were contained in our former letter concerning the
Christians which was sent to your devotedness, everything that seemed
very severe and foreign to our mildness may be annulled, and that now
every one who has the same desire to observe the religion of the
Christians may do so without molestation.
We have resolved to communicate this most fully to thy care, in order
that thou mayest know that we have granted to these same Christians
freedom and full liberty to observe their own religion. Since this has
been granted freely by us to them, thy devotedness perceives that
liberty is granted to others also who may wish to follow their own
religious observances; it being clearly in accordance with the
tranquillity of our times, that each one should have the liberty of
choosing and worshiping whatever deity he pleases. This has been done
by us in order that we might not seem in any way to discriminate against
any rank or religion.s And we decree still further in regard to the
Christians, that their places, in which they were formerly accustomed
to assemble, and concerning which in the former letter sent to thy
devotedness a different command was given if it appear that any have
bought them either from our treasury or from any other person, shall be
restored to the said Christians, without demanding money or any other
equivalent, with no delay or hesitation. If any happen to have
received the said places as a gift, they shall restore them as quickly
as possible to these same Christians: with the understanding that if
those who have bought these places, or those who have received them as
a gift, demand anything from our bounty, they may go to the judge of
the district, that provision may be made for them by our clemency.
All these things are to be granted to the society of Christians by
your care immediately and without any delay. And since the said
Christians are known to have possessed not only those places in which
they were accustomed to assemble, but also other places, belonging not
to individuals among them, but to the society as a whole, that is, to
the society of Christians, you will command that all these, in virtue
of the law which we have above stated, be restored, without any
hesitation, to these same Christians; that is, to their society and
congregation: the above-mentioned provision being of course observed,
that those who restore them without price, as we have before said, may
expect indemnification from our bounty. In all these things, for the
behoof of the aforesaid society of Christians, you are to use the
utmost diligence, to the end that our command may be speedily
fulfilled, and that in this also, by our clemency, provision may be
made for the common and public tranquillity. For by this means, as we
have said before, the divine favor toward us which we have already
experienced in many matters will continue sure through all time. And
that the terms of this our gracious ordinance may be known to all, it
is expected that this which we have written will be published everywhere
by you and brought to the knowledge of all, in order that this gracious
ordinance of ours may remain unknown to no one."
Copy of another imperial decree which they issued, indicating that the
grant was made to the Catholic Church alone.
"Greeting to thee, our most esteemed Anulinus. It is the custom of
our benevolence, most esteemed Anulinus, to will that those things
which belong of right to another should not only be left unmolested,
but should also be restored. Wherefore it is our will that when thou
receivest this letter, if any such things belonged to the Catholic
Church of the-Christians, in any city or other place, but are now
held by citizens or by any others, thou shalt cause them to be restored
immediately to the said churches. For we have already determined that
those things which these same. churches formerly possessed shall be
restored to them. Since therefore thy devotedness perceives that this
command of ours is most explicit, do thou make haste to restore to
them, as quickly as possible, everything which formerly belonged to
the said churches,-whether gardens or buildings or whatever they may
be, that we may learn that thou hast obeyed this decree of ours most
carefully. Farewell, our most esteemed and beloved Anulinus."
Copy of an epistle in which the Emperor commands that a synod of
bishops be held at Rome in behalf of the unity and can-card of the
churches .
"Constantine Augustus to Miltiades, bishop of Rome, and to
Marcus. Since many such communications have been sent to me by
Anu-linus, the most illustrious proconsul of Africa, in which it is
said that Caecilianus, bishop of the city of Carthage, has been
accused by some of his colleagues in Africa, in many matters; and
since it seems to me a very serious thing that in those provinces which
Divine Providence has freely entrusted to my devotedness, and in
which there is a great population, the multitude are found following
the baser course, and dividing, as it were, into two parties, and
the bishops are at variance, it has seemed good to me that Caecilianus
himself, with ten of the bishops that appear to accuse him, and with
ten others whom he may consider necessary for his defense, should sail
to Rome, that there, in the presence of yourselves and of Retecius
and Maternus and Marinus, your colleagues, whom I have commanded to
hasten to Rome for this purpose, he may be heard, as you may
understand to be in accordance with the most holy law. But in order
that you may be enabled to have most perfect knowledge of all these
things, I have subjoined to my letter copies of the documents sent to
me by Anulinus, and have sent them to your above-mentioned
colleagues. When your firmness has read these, you will consider in
what way the above-mentioned case may be most accurately investigated
and justly decided. For it does not escape your diligence that I have
such reverence for the legitimate Catholic Church that I do not wish
you to leave schism or division in any place. May the divinity of the
great God preserve you, most honored sirs, for many years."
Copy of an epistle in which the emperor commands another synod to be
held for the purpose of removing all dissensions among the bishops.
"Constantine Augustus to Chrestus, bishop of Syracuse. When some
began wickedly and perversely to disagree among themselves in regard to
the holy worship and celestial power and Catholic doctrine, wishing to
put an end to such disputes among them, I formerly gave command that
certain bishops should be sent from Gaul, and that the opposing
parties who were contending persistently and incessantly with each
other, should be summoned from Africa; that in their presence, and
in the presence of the bishop of Rome, the matter which appeared to be
causing the disturbance might be examined and decided with all care.
But since, as it happens, some, forgetful both of their own
salvation and of the reverence due to the most holy religion, do not
even yet bring hostilities to an end, and are unwilling to conform to
the judgment already passed, and assert that those who expressed their
opinions and decisions were few, or that they had been too hasty and
precipitate in giving judgment, before all the things which ought to
have been accurately investigated had been examined, on account of all
this it has happened that those very ones who ought to hold brotherly
and harmonious relations toward each other, are shamefully, or rather
abominably, divided among themselves, and give occasion for ridicule
to those men whose souls are aliens to this most holy religion.
Wherefore it has seemed necessary to me to provide that this
dissension, which ought to have ceased after the judgment had been
already given by their own voluntary agreement, should now, if
possible, be brought to an end by the presence of many. Since,
therefore, we have commanded a number of bishops from a great many
different places to assemble in the city of Arles, before the kalends
of August, we have thought proper to write to thee also that thou
shouldst secure from the most illustrious La-tronianus, corrector of
Sicily, a public vehicle, and that thou shouldst take with thee two
others of the second rank whom thou thyself shalt choose, together with
three servants who may serve you on the way, and betake thyself to the
above-mentioned place before the appointed day; that by thy firmness,
and by the wise unanimity and harmony of the others present, this
dispute, which has disgracefully continued until the present time, in
consequence of certain shameful strifes, after all has been heard which
those have to say who are now at variance with one another, and whom we
have likewise commanded to be present, may be settled in accordance
with the proper faith, and that brotherly harmony, though it be but
gradually, may be restored. May the Almighty God preserve thee in
health for many years."
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