Sunday Worship and Imperial Letters

After that we continually remind one another of these things. Those of us who have means help everyone who is in want, and we are always together. And for everything we receive we bless the Maker of all things through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit. [a]

And on the day named after the sun, everyone who lives in the cities or out in the country gathers together in one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read for as long as there is time. Then, when the reader has stopped, the one presiding speaks, urging us and calling us to imitate these good things. Then we all stand up together and send up prayers. And, as we said earlier, when we have finished praying, bread is brought, and wine and water; and the one presiding sends up prayers and thanksgivings in the same way, to the best of his ability, and the people give their assent by saying Amen. Then the food over which thanks have been given is handed out, and each one takes a share, and a portion is sent by the deacons to those who are not there.

Those who are well off and willing each give what they choose, whatever each one wishes, and what is collected is left with the one presiding. He is the one who helps orphans and widows, and those who are in want because of illness or any other cause, and those in prison, and foreigners staying among us — in a word, he takes care of everyone in need.

We all hold our common gathering on the sun’s day because it is the first day, the day on which God changed darkness and matter and made the world, and because on that same day Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead. For they crucified him on the day before Saturn’s day, and on the day after Saturn’s day — which is the sun’s day — he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them these things, which we have now handed on to you as well, for you to look into.

If these things seem to you to hold to reason and truth, honor them; but if they seem to you to be nonsense, then despise them as nonsense — only do not decree death, as though against enemies, for people who have done nothing wrong. We warn you: you will not escape the judgment of God that is coming, if you keep on in your injustice. And for our part we will cry out, “Let whatever is dear to God be done!” [g]

From the letter of the greatest and most illustrious Caesar Hadrian, your father, we could demand that you order the trials to be held as we have asked. But we did not make our request on the ground that Hadrian had ruled it so; we have made this address and explanation because we know that what we ask is just. We have attached a copy of Hadrian’s letter as well, so that you may recognize that we are telling the truth about this. Here is the copy.

To Minucius Fundanus.

I have received the letter written to me by Serenius Granianus, a most distinguished man, whom you have succeeded. It does not seem right to me to leave the matter without inquiry, so that people are not thrown into confusion and informers are not handed the means of doing harm. So if the people of the province can plainly make good this petition of theirs against the Christians, well enough to answer for it before a tribunal, let them keep to that alone, and not to petitions and shouting. For it is far more fitting, if someone wants to bring an accusation, that you should be the one to decide it. If, then, anyone brings an accusation and shows that they are doing something against the laws, pass sentence according to the seriousness of the offense. But — by Hercules! — if anyone puts the matter forward for the sake of slander, take it up for the outrage it is, and see to it that you punish him.

The Emperor Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius, chief priest, in the fifteenth year of his tribune’s power, consul for the third time, father of the fatherland, to the Common Assembly of Asia, greeting.

I should have thought that the gods themselves would see to it that such offenders did not get away. If they had the power, they would be far more likely than you to punish those who refuse to worship them. But it is you who make trouble for these people. You charge them with holding the opinions of atheists, and you lay other things to their account besides, which we are not able to prove. It would even be to their advantage to be thought to die for what they are accused of; and they defeat you by being lavish with their own lives rather than yielding the obedience you demand of them.

As for the earthquakes that have already happened and are happening now, it is not seemly for you to bring them up, since you lose heart whenever they come, and so you set your own conduct against these men’s — for they have far greater confidence toward God than you have. At such times you seem to ignore the gods, you neglect the temples, and you make no acknowledgment of the worship of God. And that is why you are jealous of those who do serve him, and persecute them to death.

Concerning people of this kind, some of the other provincial governors wrote to my most divine father as well, and he wrote back that they were not to be disturbed at all unless they were found to be attempting something against the Roman government. Many have sent me word about such people too, and I replied to them in keeping with my father’s judgment. But if anyone brings a matter against a person of this class simply as being such a person, let the accused be acquitted of the charge, even if he is found to be one; and let the accuser be answerable to justice.

The Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Germanicus, Parthicus, Sarmaticus, to the People of Rome and to the sacred Senate, greeting.

I have explained to you my great plan, and what I gained on the frontier of Germany with much labor and suffering, when I found myself surrounded by the enemy. I was shut up in Carnuntum by seventy-four cohorts, nine miles off. The enemy was close at hand; the scouts pointed them out to us, and our general Pompeianus showed us that a mass of mixed peoples, 977,000 men, was right on top of us — and we saw it ourselves. I was shut in by this enormous host with only a detachment made up of the first and the tenth, the double, and the marine legions.

So I looked over my own position and my force against that vast mass of barbarians and enemies, and I quickly turned to prayer to the gods of my country. But they took no notice of me. So I summoned the men among us who go by the name of Christians. When I made inquiry, I found a great many of them, an enormous number, and I raged against them — which was not at all fitting, for afterward I learned what their power is. They began the battle without getting ready weapons or arms or bugles: such preparation is hateful to them, because of the God they carry about in their conscience. So it is likely that these men we suppose to be atheists have God entrenched in their conscience as their ruling power.

They threw themselves on the ground and prayed, not for me only but for the whole army as it stood, that they might be delivered from the thirst and hunger of that moment. For five days we had got no water, because there was none: we were in the heart of Germany, in enemy territory. And at the very moment they threw themselves on the ground and prayed to God — a God I do not know — water poured down from heaven, wonderfully cool on us, but on the enemies of Rome a scorching hail. And at once we recognized the presence of God following on that prayer — a God unconquerable and indestructible.

On that basis, then, let us pardon such men as are Christians, in case they pray for and obtain such a weapon against ourselves. And I advise that no such person be accused on the ground that he is a Christian. But if anyone is found charging a Christian with being a Christian, I want it made plain that the man accused as a Christian, who admits that he is one, is accused of nothing else than this alone — that he is a Christian — and that the man who arraigns him is to be burned alive. I further want the man entrusted with the government of the province not to force the Christian who confesses and attests such a thing to take it back, nor to commit him for trial. And I want these things confirmed by a decree of the Senate. And I order this edict of mine to be published in the Forum of Trajan, so that it may be read. The prefect Vitrasius Pollio will see that it is sent on to all the provinces round about, and that no one who wishes to make use of it or to possess it is prevented from getting a copy from the document I am now publishing.