Constantine’s Letter to the Bishops at Antioch

“Victor Constantine, Greatest Augustus, to Theodotus, Theodore, Narcissus, Aetius, Alpheus, and the rest of the bishops who are at Antioch. “I have read the letters written by your Prudences, and I warmly approve the wise resolve of your colleague in the ministry, Eusebius. I have also been informed of the circumstances of the case, partly by your letters and partly by those of our illustrious counts, Acacius and Strategius, and after sufficient inquiry I have written to the people of Antioch, suggesting the course that will be both pleasing to God and beneficial to the church. I have ordered a copy of this to be attached to this present letter, so that you yourselves may know what I thought fit, as an advocate of the cause of justice, to write to that people. For I find in your letter this proposal: that, in keeping with the choice of the people and with your own wish, Eusebius, the holy bishop of Caesarea, should preside over and take charge of the church at Antioch. Now the letters of Eusebius himself on this subject seemed to be in strict accordance with the order the church prescribes. Nevertheless, it is right that your Prudences should know my opinion too. For I am informed that Euphronius the presbyter, a citizen of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and George of Arethusa, likewise a presbyter, appointed to that office by Alexander at Alexandria, are men of proven faith. It was right, therefore, to let your Prudences know that in proposing these men, and any others you may judge worthy of the dignity of bishop, you should decide this question in a way that agrees with the tradition of the apostles. For in that case your Prudences will be able, according to the rule of the church and apostolic tradition, to direct this election in the way that true church discipline prescribes. God preserve you, beloved brothers!” [a]