Constantine’s Letter to the Absent Bishops

The great emperor also wrote an account of what the council had done to the bishops who had been unable to attend. I think it worthwhile to include this letter in my work, since it shows clearly the piety of the writer.

“Constantine Augustus to the churches. [a] “Seeing the general public prosperity we now enjoy as the fruit of the great power of divine grace, I desire above all things that the blessed members of the catholic church should be kept in one faith, in sincere love, and in one form of worship toward Almighty God. But no firmer or more effective step could be taken to secure this than to submit everything that concerns our most holy religion to the examination of all the bishops, or of as many of them as possible. So I called together as many of them as I could, and took my seat among them as one of yourselves; for I would not deny the truth that is the source of my greatest joy, that I am your fellow servant. “Every point was given due examination, until the teaching pleasing to the all-seeing God and leading to unity was made clear, so that no room should remain for division or controversy about the faith.

“When the observance of the most sacred feast of Easter was then debated, it was unanimously decided that it would be good for it to be celebrated everywhere on the same day. What could be more fitting or more seemly than that the feast through which we have received the hope of immortality should be carefully kept by all, on clear principles, with the same order and exactness? “In the first place, it was declared unfitting to follow the custom of the Jews in celebrating this holy feast, because their hands have been stained with crime, and so the minds of these wretched men are necessarily blinded. By rejecting their custom, we establish and hand down to future ages one that is more reasonable, and that has been observed ever since the day of our Lord’s sufferings. Let us, then, have nothing in common with the Jews, who are our adversaries. For we have received another way from our Savior. A better and more lawful course is taught by our holy religion. Let us walk in it with one accord, my much-honored brothers, carefully avoiding all contact with that evil way. “They boast that without their instruction we would be unable to keep the feast properly. This is the height of absurdity. For how can they hold right views on any point, when, after bringing about the death of the Lord, they have lost their minds and are guided not by sound reason but by unrestrained passion, wherever their inborn madness carries them? So it follows that they have lost sight of the truth so far, straying as far as possible from the correct reckoning, that they celebrate a second Passover in the same year. What reason can we have for following those who are so plainly unsound and so badly in error? For we could never tolerate celebrating the Passover twice in one year. “But even if none of these facts existed, your own good sense would move you to watch with care and with prayer, so that your pure minds may not seem to share in the customs of a people so utterly depraved. It must also be kept in mind that on so important a point as the celebration of a feast of such holiness, discord is wrong. Our Savior set apart one day to commemorate our deliverance, that is, his most holy Passion. He wished his catholic church to be one, and its members, though scattered through the most varied parts of the world, are still nourished by one spirit, that is, by the divine will. “Let your devout good sense consider how wrong and unfitting it is that days some give to fasting should be spent by others in festive banqueting, and that after Easter some are rejoicing in feasts and leisure while others are keeping the appointed fasts. That this unfitting state of things should be set right, and that all these differences of observance should be brought into one form, is the will of divine Providence, as I am sure you will all see. “So this irregularity must be corrected, so that we may no longer have anything in common with those parricides and murderers of our Lord. An orderly and excellent form of observance is kept in all the churches of the western, southern, and northern parts of the world, and by some in the East. Since this form is praised by all, I promised that you too would be ready to adopt it, gladly accepting the rule unanimously followed in the city of Rome, throughout Italy, in all Africa, in Egypt, in the provinces of Spain, Gaul, and Britain, in Libya, in Greece, in the dioceses of Asia and of Pontus, and in Cilicia. You would bear in mind not only that the churches of these places are greater in number, but also that it is most devout for all to agree unanimously on the course that exact reasoning seems to require, and that has not a single point in common with the perjury of the Jews. [b]

“To sum up briefly all that has been said: the judgment of all is that the holy feast of Easter should be kept on one and the same day. For in so holy a matter it is not fitting that any difference of custom should exist, and it is better to follow the opinion that has not the least connection with error and sin. “This being so, receive gladly the heavenly gift and the plainly divine command; for everything done in the holy councils of the bishops is to be traced back to the divine will. So, when you have made the subject of this letter known to all our beloved brothers, consider yourselves bound to accept what has been said above, and to arrange for the regular observance of this holy day. Then, when I see you face to face, as I have long desired, I may be able to celebrate this holy feast with you on one and the same day, and may rejoice with you all to see the cruelty of the devil destroyed by our efforts, through divine grace, while our faith and peace and harmony flourish throughout the world. May God preserve you, beloved brothers.”