Bishops from Every Nation at the Council

So the most distinguished of God’s ministers from all the churches that filled Europe, Libya and Asia were assembled here. A single house of prayer, as though God had enlarged it, was enough to hold at once Syrians and Cilicians, Phoenicians and Arabians, delegates from Palestine and others from Egypt, Thebans and Libyans, together with those who came from the region of Mesopotamia. A Persian bishop too was present at this conference, and not even a Scythian was missing from the number. Pontus, Galatia and Pamphylia, Cappadocia, Asia and Phrygia supplied their most distinguished bishops, while those who lived in the farthest districts of Thrace and Macedonia, of Achaia and Epirus, were present all the same. Even from Spain itself, one whose fame had spread far and wide took his seat as a member of the great assembly. The bishop of the imperial city was kept away by extreme old age, but his presbyters were present and took his place. Constantine is the first ruler of any age to bind together such a garland as this with the bond of peace, and to present it to his Savior as a thank offering for the victories he had won over every foe, so showing in our own times a likeness of the company of the apostles. [a]