Constantine’s Letter on Copies of the Scriptures

“Constantine Augustus, the great and victorious, to Eusebius. “In the city that bears our name, a great many people, through the providential care of God our Savior, have joined the holy church. Since everything there is growing rapidly, it seemed to us most important that more churches should be built. So gladly take up the plan we have decided on, which we thought it best to make known to your good sense. “You are to have fifty volumes written on fine parchment, easy to read and convenient to use. Have them copied by skilled scribes who know their craft thoroughly. I mean, of course, copies of the Holy Scriptures, which, as you know, it is most necessary for the congregation of the church both to have and to use. “A letter has been sent from Our Clemency to the catholicus of the diocese, so that he may take care that everything needed for the work is supplied. Your task is to see that these manuscripts are finished within a short time. When they are done, you are authorized by this letter to order two public carriages to bring them to us, so that the fine manuscripts can easily be brought before us for inspection. Put one of the deacons of your church in charge of this part of the business. When he comes to us, he will receive proof of our generosity. May God keep you, beloved brother.” [a]

What has been said already is enough to show, indeed to prove clearly, how much zeal the emperor showed in matters of religion. But I will add his noble deeds concerning the tomb of our Savior. He learned that the idolaters, in their frenzy, had heaped earth over the Lord’s tomb, eager in this way to destroy all memory of the salvation he brought, and had built over it a temple to the goddess of unbridled lust, in mockery of the Virgin’s giving birth. So the emperor ordered the foul shrine to be torn down, the soil defiled by abominable sacrifices to be carried away and thrown out far from the city, and a new temple of great size and beauty to be built on the site. All this is clearly set out in the letter he wrote to Macarius, who presided over the church of Jerusalem. I have already mentioned him as a member of the great Council of Nicaea, who joined his brothers in resisting the blasphemies of Arius. Here is the letter. [d]