Laws Against Sacrifice and for Building Churches

Soon after this, two laws were issued at about the same time. One was meant to restrain the idolatrous abominations that in times past had been practiced in every city and country district. It provided that no one should set up images, or practice divination and other false and foolish arts, or offer sacrifice in any way at all. The other law ordered that the houses of prayer be raised higher, and that the churches of God be enlarged in length and breadth. It was as though people expected that, now that the madness of worshiping many gods had been wholly removed, nearly all mankind would from then on attach themselves to the service of God. The emperor’s own personal devotion led him to devise these instructions and write them to the governors of the various provinces. The law further urged them not to spare expense, but to draw the funds from the imperial treasury itself. Similar instructions were written also to the bishops of the various churches, and the emperor was pleased to send the same to me as well. It was the first letter he addressed to me personally.