Edict of Milan and legal toleration
Imperial agreement grants Christians and others freedom to practice their religions and changes the Church's public setting.
Perspective note
Shared subject; this bundled record was originally written with an Orthodox-informed editorial lens.
People
- Constantine
- Licinius
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
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