The Third Charge: Using a Church Not Yet Dedicated

But since they have also informed against me in the matter of the great church, saying that a communion service was held there before it was finished, I will answer Your Piety on this charge too; for those who are hostile to me force me to do so. I admit that this did happen. For just as I have told no lie in what I have said so far, I will not deny this now. But the facts are very different from the way they have presented them. Allow me to tell you, most religious Augustus, that we kept no day of dedication. It would certainly have been unlawful to do that before receiving your orders. Nor did we act as we did by design. No bishop or other clergyman was invited to join us, for much was still lacking to complete the building. Indeed, the congregation did not meet after any notice given in advance, which might have given them a reason to inform against us. Everyone knows how it happened; still, hear me with your usual fairness and patience. [a]

It was the feast of Easter, and the crowd that gathered was extremely large, such as Christian kings would wish to see in all their cities. When the churches were found too few to hold them, there was no small stir among the people. They wanted to be allowed to meet together in the great church, where they could all offer their prayers for your safety. And this they did. For although I urged them to wait a while and to hold services in the other churches, however uncomfortable that might be for them, they would not listen to me. They were ready to go out of the city and meet in deserted places in the open air, thinking it better to bear the fatigue of the journey than to keep the feast in such discomfort.