Simple reading · Open the interactive atlas

Edict of Milan and legal toleration

Timeline Event · 313 CE

Imperial agreement grants Christians and others freedom to practice their religions and changes the Church's public setting.

People

Primary sources

The decree grants:

The imperial decree preserved by Eusebius directly grants Christians freedom to observe their religion.

granted to these same Christians freedom and full liberty to observe their own religion

— Constantine and Licinius (decree preserved by Eusebius), Church History, imperial decree translated from Latin (Book 10, Chapter 5, Section 7), trans. Arthur Cushman McGiffert, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 1

Passage context and translation

The decree also extends freedom of observance to others and orders confiscated Christian meeting places restored. It marks legal toleration, not an immediate end to every anti-Christian action.

Before the excerpt

in order that you may know that we have

After the excerpt

Since this has been granted freely by us to them, your devotedness perceives that liberty is granted to others also

Eusebius preserves a Greek rendering of the imperial decree; McGiffert translated Eusebius into English. This excerpt is from the decree, not Eusebius's own policy statement.

Sources and further reading

Related records

All records