Council of Arles

“[The Great Emperor] Constantine Augustus to Chrestus, bishop of Syracuse. Already on a former occasion, when some in a base the worship of the holy and heavenly power, and the catholic religion, in my desire to cut short such dissensions among them, I had given orders to the effect that certain bishops should be sent from Gaul, nay further, that the opposing parties, who were contending stubbornly and persistently together, should be summoned from Africa; that so, in the presence also of the bishop of Rome, this question which appeared to have been raised might through their coming receive a right solution by means of a careful examination in every particular.


“But since, as it happens, some, forgetful both of their own salvation and of the reverence they owe to their most holy religion, even now do not cease to perpetuate their private enmities, being unwilling to conform to the judgement already passed, and affirming that after all it was a few persons who gave their opinions and decisions, or that they were in a hurry to pass judgement very speedily and sharply without having first accurately examined all those matters that ought to have been investigated; and since, as a result of all this, it has come to pass that even those very persons who ought to be of one mind in brotherly concord are separate from each other in a disgraceful, nay rather in an abominable, fashion, and give to those men whose souls are strangers to this most holy religion an occasion to scoff, it became incumbent upon me to provide that that which ought to have ceased by voluntary agreement, after the judgement already passed, may even now, if possible, be ended by the presence of many persons. (Ibid)


“We have therefore commanded that very many bishops from various and numberless places should assemble at the city of Arles by the first of August.” (Constantine, To Chrestus of Syracuse [A.D. 314])


“To the most beloved Pope Silvester: Marinus… eternal life in the Lord. Being united by the common tie of charity, and by that unity which is the bond of our mother, the Catholic Church, we have been brought to the city of Arles by the wish of the most pious emperor, and we salute you with due reverence, most glorious Pope. Here we have suffered from troublesome men, dangerous to our law and tradition-men of undisciplined mind, whom both the authority of our God, which is with us, and our tradition and the rule of truth reject, because they have neither reason in their argument, nor any moderation in their accusations, nor was their manner of proof to the point. Therefore by the judgement of God and of Mother Church, who knows and approves her own, they have been either condemned or rejected. Would, most beloved brother, that you had thought it well to be wresent at this great spectacle! We believe surely - that in that case a more severe sentence would have been passed against them; and our assembly would have rejoiced with a greater joy, had you passed judgement together with us; but since you were by no means able to leave that region where the apostles daily sit, and their blood without ceasing bears witness to the glory of God, . . . it did not seem to us, most well-beloved brother, that we ought to deal exclusively with those matters on account of which we had been summoned, but we judged that we also should take counsel on our own affairs ; because, as the countries from which we have come are different, so events of various kinds will happen which we think that we ought to watch and regulate. Accordingly, we thought well, in the presence of the Holy Ghost and his angels, that concerning the various matters which occurred to each of us, we should make some decrees to provide for the present state of peace. We also agreed to write first to you who hold the greater dioceses that by you especially they should be brought to the knowledge of all. What it is that we have determined on, we have appended to this poor letter of ours. In the first place we were bound to discuss a matter that concerned the usefulness of our life. Now since One died and rose again for many, the same season should be observed with a religious mind by all at the same time, lest divisions or dissensions arise in so great a service of devotion. We judge therefore that the Easter of the Lord should be observed throughout the world upon the same day.” (The Council of Arles [Modern France] to Pope Silvester)


“The assembly of bishops, who were gathered together in the city of Arles, to the most holy brother Silvester. . . . What we have' decreed with one consent, we have reported to your
charity, that the bishops may know what ought to be observed in future.


“ In the first place, concerning the observance of Easter, it shall be observed by us on one day and at one time, throughout all the world, when you, according to custom, direct letters to all.


“Since the Africans are used, according to their law, to rebaptize,' we decree that if anyone comes to the Church from heresy they shall interrogate him concerning his creed; and if they perceive that he was baptized in the Father-and the Son and the Holy Ghost, only the hand shall be laid upon him, that he may receive the Holy Ghost. But if on being questioned, he does not answer this Trinity, he shall be baptized.” (Canons).


“The assembly of bishops, who were gathered together in the city of Arles, to the most holy brother Silvester. . . . What we have' decreed with one consent, we have reported to your charity, that the bishops may know what ought to be observed in future… In the first place, concerning the observance of Easter it shall be observed by us on one day and at one time, throughout all the world, when you, according to custom, direct letters to all.” (Canons, Turner 381A).