Книга 10

1. Thanks to God Almighty and Master for everything, and the greatest gratitude to the Savior and Redeemer of our souls, Jesus Christ, through whom we always pray for unshakable firmness in the midst of worldly anxieties and spiritual situations. 2. With prayer, we add this, tenth, to the previous books of Church history, and dedicate it to you, Peacock 2048, a sacred person for me, may you be, as it were, the seal of all our work. 3. It would be appropriate to conclude the book marked with this perfect number with a solemn word on the renewal of churches. Obeying the command of the Spirit of God: “Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wonders. His right hand and His holy arm saved Him. The Lord has revealed His salvation, revealed His truth to the peoples” 2049. 4. Obeying this command, let us sing a new song, for after the gloomy sights and terrible stories, we have been honored to see and glorify what many who lived before us, the true righteous and martyrs of God, wanted to see on earth and did not see, wanted to hear and did not hear 2050. 5. However, these people hastened to receive a much greater reward: they delighted themselves with heavenly bliss in heaven 2051. We realize that we did not receive what we deserved; We are brought into the greatest amazement by the grace of the Giver of such great gifts, we revere Him with all our souls and testify to the truth of Scripture, which says: “Come and see the works of the Lord, what wonders He has done on earth: stopping wars to the ends of the earth, He has broken the bow, and broken the spear, and burned the shields with fire” 2052. Rejoicing that this has been fulfilled for us, let us continue our work. 7. The entire race of God-haters disappeared (as described here), it was wiped off the face of the earth 2053, and the word of God was fulfilled again: “I saw the wicked magnified and exalted like the cedars of Lebanon 2054. I walked past, and then he was gone; I looked for its place and did not find it" 2055. 8. Now a bright and clear day, not darkened by any cloud, illuminated the churches of Christ throughout the earth with rays of heavenly light. Even those who are alien to our brotherhood, nothing prevents them from using, if not entirely, then at least a share of what is given to us from God. 1. All people were freed from the power of tyrants and got rid of previous disasters. Everyone confessed the one true God, the champion of the pious, but for us, who placed our hope in Christ, the Son of God, joy was unspeakable; every place, recently devastated by the wickedness of tyrants, breathed with wondrous jubilation, as if reviving after a long, deadly infection; we saw churches rise from their foundations, rising to unattainable heights in beauty greater than those of the churches destroyed before. 2. Meanwhile, the supreme rulers issued one after another decrees that expanded and strengthened the great gifts of God. The bishops personally received messages, honors, and money from the emperor. It is perhaps appropriate, in due time, to inscribe in this book, as on a sacred tablet, a translation of these messages of 2056 from Latin into Greek, so that they will be preserved in the memory of posterity. 1. And now, finally, we saw what we had prayed for, what we wanted so much: the celebration in the cities of the renovation and consecration of newly built churches, the congresses of bishops for these celebrations, the confluence of different peoples from different countries, mutually friendly, the unification of the members of the Body of Christ into one composition. 2. According to a mysterious prophetic prediction about the future, bone was connected to bone, joint to joint 2057; the mysterious words came true. 3. The same power of the Spirit of God permeated everyone 2058, everyone was animated by the same zealous faith; Everyone praised God with the same song. The divine services of the primates and the sacred rites of the priests became perfect, church rituals became splendid; the singing of psalms and listening to the words transmitted to us from God was replaced by the Divine Mystical Service with its ineffable symbols of the saving Passion 2059. 4. People of all ages, men and women, rejoiced and strengthened by prayer and grace, with all their souls, with all their minds, magnified God, the Giver of blessings 2060. And each of the primates present made a welcoming speech and, to the best of his ability, tried to elevate the spirit of the meeting. 1. A certain man 2061, moderately gifted, wrote a word and, going out into the middle, in a church meeting, pronounced it in the presence of numerous shepherds who listened to him attentively and decently, addressing one of them, the most venerable, God-loving bishop, through whose zeal a church was built in Tire, the most beautiful in Phenicia. Solemn word spoken in 2062 by Bishop Paulinus of Tyre regarding the building of churches. 2. “Friends of God and priests who have put on the sacred garment 2063, who have received the crown of heavenly glory, Divine anointing and priestly clothing from the Holy Spirit! And you, a new adornment of the church of God, honored by God with your senile wisdom, who showed in your deeds and actions the power of blooming youth, the one whom the Lord Himself, who contains the entire universe, honored with great honor: you erected on earth a house for Christ, the Only Begotten and First-Begotten Son of God, His Word, and His Holy and Divine Bride! 3. Should we call you the new Bezaliel 2064, the builder of the Divine Tabernacle, or Solomon, the king of the new and most beautiful Jerusalem, or the new Zerubbabel 2065, who imparted a new, greater glory to the church of God? 2066 4. And you too, sheep of the sacred flock of Christ, abode of good words, school of humility, God-loving and venerable listeners! 5. Previously, listening to the Holy Scriptures, learning about the miraculous manifestations of Divine mercy towards people, we could, having received such a lesson, sing to God: “God, we heard with our ears, our fathers told us about the work that You did in their days, in the days of old” 2067. 6. And now, not from stories, not from other people’s words, we ourselves contemplate the heavenly right hand of our all-merciful Almighty 2068; With our own eyes we actually see how exactly what has been passed down from memory since ancient times comes true. Now it is fitting for us to sing another song of victory and exclaim loudly: “As we heard, so we saw in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God” 2069. 7. In what city, if not in this newly built, God-created one, “which is the Church of the Living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” 2070, about which another Divine word proclaims: “Glorious things are proclaimed about you, city of God” 2071? And since the all-merciful Lord, by the grace of His Only Begotten Son, has gathered us in this church, let each of those called praise and cry: “I rejoiced when they said to me: “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Lord, I have loved the splendor of Your house and the place of the dwelling of Your glory" 2072. 8. And not only each individually, but all together, with one spirit and one heart, let us magnify and bless Him, saying: “Great is the Lord and most praised in the city of our God, on His holy mountain” 2073. Yes, truly He is great and His house is great, 2074 high and spacious, magnificent in appearance before the eyes of the sons of men. “Great is the Lord, the only one who works miracles” 2075; great “who does great and incomprehensible, glorious and wonderful without number 2076; great is he who changes times and years, who deposes kings and sets them up 2077, who raises the needy and needy out of the mud” 2078. He cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the humble from the earth, filled the hungry with good things 2079 and broke the hand of the proud” 2080. 9 . He confirmed the truthfulness of ancient legends not only to believers, but also to infidels. He, the Creator of miracles, the Performer of great deeds, the Lord of everything, the Creator of the whole world, the Almighty, the All-Good, the one and only God. Let us sing a new song to Him 2081, to Him “who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever 2082; who struck down great kings and killed mighty kings, for His mercy endures forever 2083. The Lord remembered us in our humiliation and delivered us from our enemies” 2084. 10. Let us not tire of blessing the Father of all in this way. Let us glorify in song the second Author of our blessings, Jesus, the Originator of the knowledge of God, the Teacher of true piety, the Destroyer of the wicked, the Punisher of tyrants, the Corrector of our lives, who saved us, the outcasts. 11. He alone, as the Only Begotten, the all-good Son of the all-good Father, imitating the Father's love for mankind, with perfect readiness accepted our nature, which was in the abyss of destruction. And, like a most skillful doctor, who, for the sake of saving the sick, looks at the terrible, touches the disgusting and for the suffering of others he himself is subjected to grief 2085, He cured us, not only the sick, tormented by terrible ulcers and purulent wounds, but already swallowed up by death, and snatched us from its jaws. None of the celestial beings had such strength to accomplish the work of such salvation unharmed. 12. He alone was not afraid of how deeply we are corrupted and how we suffer therefore; one bore our illnesses 2086, one took upon himself the punishment for our wickedness, raised us from the graves and tombs not even half dead, but already decayed and fetid; one before and now, above all our hope, in His great love for mankind, saved us and gave us abundant benefits from the Father, He is the Giver of life, leading to the light, our great Physician, King and Lord, Christ of God. 13. Once upon a time, the entire human race perished, wandering in the impenetrable night and in deep darkness under the influence of criminal, God-hating demons. He appeared and untied the strong bonds of our iniquities - they melted like wax in the sun. 14. And now, when grace is so great and so much mercy has been shown, the hated demon, the author of evil and the enemy of good, has armed all his deadly forces against us. And first of all, like a fierce dog who gnaws the stones thrown at him with his teeth and turns his rage on the soulless objects that are thrown at him in defense, he, in his brutal madness, rushed at the stones and at the soulless composition from which the churches were built 2087, in the hope of thereby devastating our Churches. Then his terrible whistle and snake hiss were heard both in the threats of wicked tyrants and in the blasphemous orders of evil rulers. And he also spewed out death (she is his creation), poisoned the souls he captured with destructive and deadly poison, almost killed them through a destructive sacrifice to soulless idols and aroused a humanoid beast 2088, which raged against us in every possible way. 15. Then the Angel of the Great Council, the great Leader of God 2089, again suddenly appeared along with the courageous warriors of His Kingdom, sufficiently seasoned in patience and endurance; all enemies and opponents disappeared, turned into nothing, so that their very name perished; He glorified His friends and loved ones not only before all people, but also before the heavenly powers, before the sun, moon and stars, before the whole sky and space. 16. And now, which has never happened before, the supreme kings 2090, realizing that they received their honorable lot from God, spit in the face of soulless idols, trample on the lawless institutions of demons, ridicule the ancient errors of their ancestors and recognize only one God, the Benefactor of all and themselves, confess Christ as the Son of God, the King of all and everything, calling Him Savior in the inscriptions placed in the middle of the reigning city 2091, they royally outline, for indelible memory, His deeds and victories over the wicked 2092. Now, the only one from eternity, Jesus Christ, our Savior, is revered by the greatest earthly rulers not as an ordinary king appointed by people, but as the true Son of God Almighty and worship Him as God. 17. And in fairness. Which king has ever been so great that all people pronounce his name and it rings in everyone’s ears? What king, having given such wise and pious laws, was able to familiarize all people with them sufficiently so that they were heard from the ends of the earth to the ends of the universe? 18. Whose meek and philanthropic laws changed the barbaric and rude customs of savage peoples? With whom has everyone been fighting for centuries, and whose superhuman power is daily renewed in all its glory? 19. Who placed not in some forgotten corner of the earth, but throughout the sunflower, a people who had not been heard of for centuries 2093? Who so protected his warriors with the weapon of piety that in competitions with enemies their soul turned out to be stronger than diamond? 20. Which king is so powerful that even after death he can lead his troops, erect signs of victory in every country, in every Hellenic and barbarian city and fill them with royal buildings - churches of God, magnificent, full of gifts, like this church? They are truly majestic, worthy of admiration and wonder, and clearly testify to the Kingdom of our Savior, for even now “He said, and it was done; He commanded, and it appeared” 2094, for what could resist the will of the Highest King and Master, the will of the Word of God Himself? But a detailed explanation and disclosure of this subject requires special time and words. 21. However, no matter how highly the God we glorify appreciates the zeal of the builders of this church, He also looks at our animated church and builds for Himself a house from strong living stones 2095. His house is firmly established “on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,” 2096 which the evil builders rejected not only when building the ancient church that no longer exists, but is also now in the hands of many people. The Father, having chosen this stone, placed it at the head of the corner of our common Church. 22. By this great and truly divine sanctuary I mean a living church of the Living God created from ourselves, in which the most inner, hidden and for many invisible, as truly holy and the holy of holies, who would dare to depict, even if he saw? Who could even look beyond its sacred veil, except the one great universal High Priest, Who alone has the right to explore the secrets of the rational soul? 23. Perhaps the same is allowed to another 2098 who occupies the second place after Him, precisely this foremost leader of the army, whom the great High Priest Himself honored with the second place of priesthood in this church, the shepherd of your God-loving flock, which fell to him by lot and judgment of the Father, as God's servant and herald, the new Aaron or Melchizedek, bearing the image of the Son of God and through the common prayers of all of you, who has to preserve it forever. 24. To him alone, after the great High Priest, should belong, if not first, then second place in supervising and monitoring the internal movements of your souls. Long-term experience allowed him to study each of you in detail, he zealously and carefully instilled in you a disposition towards order and piety, and in what he accomplished with the help of God, he can more conveniently than anyone else give an account corresponding to his deeds. 25. Our great High Priest said: “Whatever the Son sees the Father do, that the Son also does” 2099. So this bishop, with the pure eyes of reason, looks at the First, as a teacher, and what He creates serves as a model for him, which he reproduces with the greatest possible accuracy, in no way inferior to Beseliel, whom the Lord Himself filled with the spirit of wisdom, reason and all knowledge in the arts and sciences and called him to the construction of the church, conveying in symbols the heavenly prototypes 2100. 26. Thus, fully bearing in his heart the image of Christ, Who is the Word, Wisdom and Light, he erected this wondrous church to the Most High God, according to the model of the best church, as far as the visible can convey the invisible. And with what high feeling he created this, with what a rich and generous hand, what zeal and generosity you all showed with your donations, with what zeal you tried to be no lower than his plan - it’s impossible to express. It is impossible to remain silent about the fact that, first of all, he did not despise this place, according to the intent of his enemies, littered with all sorts of abomination, and did not yield to the malice of the people who were the cause of this. In the city one could find many places where it would be easy to work and would not require any hassle. 27. But he first set to work himself, then inspired the whole people with his zeal and, forcing the hands of everyone to act together, began the work with this first feat. He believed that the Church, which was especially attacked by enemies, which experienced sorrows first of all, endured the same persecutions as we, should, like a mother who has lost her children, be generously gifted by the Giver of all blessings. 28. So, having driven away all the animals, wolves and all the bloodthirsty and fierce tribe and, as the Holy Scripture says, “crushing the jaws of the lions” 2101, this great shepherd decided to gather his children together and built a decent courtyard for his flock, “to shame the enemy and the avenger” 2102 and expose the wicked insolence of the atheists. 29. Now these God-haters are finished, as if they never existed 2103. Having overthrown everything in a short time, they themselves were overthrown and suffered punishment: they completely destroyed themselves, friends and family, so that the ancient prophecies inscribed on the sacred tablets were justified. In other respects, the word of God about them turned out to be true: 30. “The sinners drew their sword and drew their bow to smite the poor and needy, to kill the righteous in heart. Let their sword enter their heart and let their bows be broken 2104; the memory of them perished 2105 with a noise, You blotted out their name forever and ever 2106, for, being in trouble, they cried out, and there was no one to save, they cried out to the Lord, and He did not hear them 2107; their feet were chained and they fell, but we got up and are standing straight” 2108. And before everyone’s eyes, the prediction came true: “Lord, in Your city You destroyed their image” 2109. 31. This is how those who, like giants, rebelled against God 2110 ended their lives. And the desert, forgotten by people, for its patience according to God, became what we now see, as Isaiah prophetically proclaimed about it: 32. “Rejoice, thirsty desert, rejoice, desert, bloom like a lily! And the desert will bloom and rejoice. Be strong, you weak hands and weak knees. Be comforted, you faint-hearted, be strong, do not be afraid. Behold, our God creates judgment and will create it; He will come and save us, for the waters are in the desert, and the streams are in the thirsty land; waterless, it will become a lake, and in the thirsty land there will be springs of water" 2111. 33. These ancient oral predictions were written down in the sacred books, and now we not only listen to them, but see their implementation in practice. This waterless desert, this defenseless widow, whose doors were “chopped with axes, as firewood is cut in the forest 2112; destroyed with an ax and a reed" 2113. They destroyed her books, “burned with fire the sanctuary 2114 of God, and desecrated the dwelling place of His name on earth. Everyone passing by robbed her and broke her fence, the forest boar undermined her and devoured her solitary beast" 2115. This desert, by the wondrous power of Christ and His will, has now blossomed like a lily. However, she was then subjected to punishment according to His own will, as a caring Father, for “whom the Lord loves, he punishes; he beats every son whom he receives” 2116. 34. Punished in moderation, as it should be, she receives a command from above to rejoice again; it blossoms like a lily and spreads its Divine fragrance to all people, for 2117 “water began to flow in the desert” - the source of the Divine and saving bath of revival, and now the recent desert turned into a lake and living water flowed across the thirsty land; the hands, which had previously fallen helpless, actually became stronger; Great and obvious deeds loudly testify to the strength of these hands. The legs, previously tired and weak, walked with their usual gait straight along the path of knowledge of God, hurrying to the native flock of the all-good Shepherd. 35. If some have lost heart from the threats of tyrants, then the saving word does not leave them without help, but heals them, convinces them to seek consolation from God, saying: “Be comforted, you faint-hearted, be strengthened, do not be afraid!” 2118. 36. That this church, which by the will of God became a desert, should, according to the prophetic word, after the bitter captivity and abomination of desolation 2119 taste those blessings, our new and valiant Zerubbabel heard with keen mental hearing. He did not despise this dead body, but first of all he propitiated the Father with common unanimous prayers, and then, calling Him who raises the dead as a co-worker, he raised up the fallen one, first cleansing her and delivering her from troubles. And he dressed her in clothes not old, worn from ancient times, but those that were well known to him from Divine prophecies, which clearly say: “And the last glory of this church will be greater than the first” 2120. 37. For this church he designated a space much larger than before, and fenced it with a strong wall, so that the fenced place would be a safe refuge for everyone; 38. erected majestic and high gates directed towards the rays of the rising sun, thus giving those standing behind the sacred fence the opportunity to clearly contemplate the interior. He, as it were, invites people who are alien to our faith to turn their gaze to the first entrance, so that no one will pass by without remembering with deep sorrow the former desolation, without being surprised at the current miracle. He hoped that a person imbued with this sorrow would be prompted by the very sight of the church to go inside. 39. However, he did not allow those who entered through the gates to immediately enter the sanctuary with unclean and unwashed feet, but, leaving a very large space between the church and the gates of the fence, he decorated it on all sides with four semicircular porticos and gave it the appearance of a quadrangle, supported everywhere by columns. In the spaces between them he placed wooden gratings of proportionate height, and left the space between the porticoes at the top open so that the sky could be seen and fresh air illuminated by the sun's rays could pass through. 40. Here, opposite the church, he placed symbols of holy cleansing, that is, he arranged springs that abundantly provided water for ablution for those entering the church yard. Here everyone who enters stops first and everyone sees this beautiful beauty; this is just the place for those who need initial instruction. 41. This view is replaced by another: many internal vestibules lead to the entrance to the church; on the side facing the sun, he built three doors, and made the middle one higher and wider than the side ones (they were like bodyguards for the queen), decorated it with bronze sculptures and carvings on an iron base. 42. Exactly the same number of vestibules are located in other porticos, on both sides of the church; he came up with the idea of ​​making different holes above them to give the building more light, and decorated them with fine wooden carvings. For the basilica itself, he used an abundance of more precious materials, sparing no expense. 43. Here, I think, it is unnecessary to describe the length and width of the building, its brilliant beauty and inexpressible grandeur, to talk about the excellent works that I have only mentioned, about the peak of the church rising to the sky and about its ceiling made of precious cedars of Lebanon, about which God’s very word did not remain silent, saying: “The trees of the Lord, the cedars of Lebanon, which He planted, will rejoice.” 44. Why should I narrate in detail the wise and skillful design and beauty of each part, when the testimony of the eyes makes the voice of the ear superfluous? I will only say that, having completed the construction of the church, he decorated it with elevated thrones in honor of the primates and, in addition, with seats located in an orderly order throughout the church, and in the middle he placed the holy of holies - the altar. So that this sanctuary would not be accessible to everyone, he fenced it with a wooden lattice, skillfully and subtly crafted, surprising those who contemplate it. 45. He did not ignore the floor either - he covered it with excellent marble and then moved on to the outer parts of the church: he built very large porches and rooms on both sides of it, connecting passages with its middle part. Our peace-loving Solomon, the builder of God's church, made these additions for those who need cleansing by water and the Holy Spirit, so that the prophecy given above 2122 was actually fulfilled: 46. “The last glory of this church surpassed the first.” However, this was how it should have been: if the Shepherd and Lord of the Church accepted death for her and the Body in which He put on because of her uncleanness, after suffering, transformed it into light and glorious, that is, raised the redeemed flesh from corruption to incorruption, then the Church should have enjoyed the Economy of salvation in the same way. Having accepted a much better promise from Him, she desires to receive the much greater glory of rebirth in the resurrection of the incorruptible body, with the faces of bright angels, in the heavenly Kingdom of God, together with Christ Jesus Himself, the Benefactor of all and the Savior, in the next century. 47. Однако и в настоящее время, будучи некогда одинокой вдовицей, а потом, по благодати Божией украсившись цветами, Церковь стала, по словам пророка 2123 , воистину как бы лилией. But let us listen to her own words, as she, in the attire of a bride, with a beautiful crown on her head, is introduced by Isaiah into the choir, magnifying God our King, and singing a song of thanksgiving to Him: 48. “Let my soul rejoice in the Lord; for He has clothed me with the robe of salvation, and has clothed me with the robe of gladness, as on a bridegroom, and has placed a crown on me, and has adorned me with ornaments as a bride. And as the earth produces its plants, and as a garden produces its seeds, so the Lord will manifest righteousness and glory before all nations” 2124. This is how the Church rejoices. 49. Let us also listen to how the Heavenly Bridegroom, the Word, Jesus Christ Himself answers her: “Do not be afraid that you are covered in shame, and do not be embarrassed that you are reproached; You will forget the eternal shame and will no longer remember the reproach of your widowhood. The Lord has not called you as a forsaken and cowardly wife, nor as a woman hated from your youth, says your God. I left you for a short time and will receive you with great mercy, - thus said the Lord, your Deliverer 2125. 50. Arise, arise, having drunk from the hands of the Lord the cup of His wrath; You drank the cup of fall and the vessel of wrath to the dregs, and there was no one who would comfort you, of all your children whom you bore, and there was no one who would take you by the hand. Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of fall, the vessel of My wrath; you will no longer drink from it; I will deliver into your hands those who oppressed you and humiliated you. 51. Arise, arise, put on your strength and put on your glory, shake off the dust and arise. Sit down and remove the bonds from your neck. 2126 Lift up your eyes and look at your children gathered together. So they gathered and came to you. “As I live,” says the Lord, “and you will be clothed with all of them as jewelry, and you will be adorned with them like a bride, for your deserts, and your ruins, and your ruined land will now be too narrow for the inhabitants, and those who consumed you will be removed from you. 52. Your sons whom you have lost will say in your ears: The place is too small for me; give me a place to settle. And you will say in your heart: Who begat them to me? I am a widow and childless; who raised them for me? I was abandoned; where were they? 2127. 53. This is what Isaiah foretold; This is what was written about us in the sacred books long ago. We had to be convinced of the falsehood of these words in practice. 54. If this is how He greets His bride, the sacred and holy Church, her Bridegroom, the Word of God, then this adornment of the bride 2128 raised her up, desolate, lying prostrate, deprived of all human help, and restored her through your common prayers and your hands, according to the will of the Almighty, through the manifestation of the power of Jesus Christ. Восстановив, он устроил ее так, как научили его священные пророчества. Great and beyond all amazement is this miracle, 55. especially for people who paid attention only to the external. The miracle of miracles is in the renewal of prototypes and mental divine models: I mean the Divine and rational building of the soul 56. The Son of God created him in his own image, in all respects God-like, 2129 endowed him with an incorruptible, incorporeal, intelligent nature, alien to all earthly matter, as a self-conscious essence, which, having once brought into being from non-existence, He made a holy bride and the most sacred church for Himself and the Father. This is clearly expressed by Him in the words: “I will dwell in them and walk in them; I will be their God, and they will be My people" 2130. Such is the perfect and pure soul, considered in its primitive state as the likeness of the Heavenly Word. 57. When, through the malice and envy of an insidious demon, she arbitrarily gave herself over to passions and fell in love with evil, God withdrew from her; abandoned by her protector, she found herself easily caught in the enemy’s net and easily defeated by the slander of those who had long envied her. Invisible enemies and mental opponents brought her down with siege weapons and engines; her fall was so great that the church of her virtue was not left stone upon stone, 2131 and she lay on the ground as if dead, deprived of all her innate thoughts about God. 58. She, fallen, created in the image of God, was devastated not by the boar of the forests, visible to us, but by the destroying demon and mental wild beasts, who, having ignited passions in her with the red-hot arrows of their malice 2132, burned with fire the true sanctuary of God and threw down the tabernacle of His name 2133; then, covering the unfortunate woman with a pile of earth, they took away all hope of salvation. 59. But the Word caring for her, the Divine and saving Light, having justly punished her for her crimes, raised her again, imitating the philanthropy of the all-good Father. 60. First of all, having predisposed the souls of the highest royal persons 2134, It cleansed, with the help of these people pleasing to God, the entire universe from all evil wicked people and from terrible and God-hating tyrants. Then, having shown the world men known to Him, who had long dedicated their lives to Him and who were secretly kept by Him amidst the storm of disasters, It worthily honored them with the great gifts of the Spirit, and then with their help, as if with a spade and shovel, it scraped off and cleansed with soulful teaching the souls that had recently been defiled and covered with the rubbish and silt of godless suggestions. 61. Thus, having enlightened your mind, It handed you over to this wisest and most God-loving leader. He, a prudent and judicious man, testing and discerning the thoughts of the souls entrusted to him, did not cease to edify them from the first, one might say, day of his ministry until the present time and to place in orderly order in your souls either sparkling gold, or hallmark and pure silver, or noble and precious stones, fulfilling in practice the mysterious prophecy given to us: 62. “Behold, I have prepared for you the ruby, your stone, and I have placed the sapphire for your foundation; And I will make the battlements on the walls of jasper, and your gates of crystal, and your fence of choice stones. And all your sons will be taught by God, and your children will have deep peace, and you will be established in righteousness” 2135. 63. Building the house in a fair manner, he distributed all people depending on their dignity: those he surrounded on the outside with a wall - a fence of strong faith (the number of people whom he could not accommodate anymore was very large); who was entrusted with guarding the entrances and accompanying those entering - they are not without reason compared to the vestibule of the church; whom he placed at the first pillars surrounding the quadrangular courtyard - these he introduces into the literal understanding of the four Gospels; whom he placed at the very walls of the basilica - so far only the catechumens, but growing and prosperous, already close to contemplating the deepest mysteries of the faith. 64. Having chosen among them souls that were unsullied, purified like gold in the Divine font, he placed some at the pillars, much better than the external ones, and established them in the mysterious and deepest dogmas of Scripture; others were illuminated from holes facing the light. 65. He decorated the entire church with one great vestibule to the glory of the one King of all, God, and on both sides of the greatness of the Father he placed Christ and the Holy Spirit, as a secondary radiance of Light. In general, with every part of the church he expressed the clarity and brilliance of the truth in all its completeness and diversity. Having collected living strong stones of souls from everywhere and everywhere, he built from them a great, royal house, full of splendor and light inside and out, for not only the soul and mind, but also their body shines with purity and humility, like a multi-colored decoration. 66. In this sanctuary there are thrones and numerous benches and seats, that is, in these souls sit the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which were once visible among the holy apostles and which were revealed in “divided tongues, as if of fire, resting one on each of them” 2136. 67. In the ruler over all, Christ Himself sits, perhaps entirely; those in the second row 2137 are given Christ's power and the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to their place. The benches are the souls of angels assigned to everyone for his instruction and protection. 68. And what is this majestic, large and unique altar, if not the most pure holy of holies of our common Priest! On the right stands the High Priest of all - Jesus, the Only Begotten Son of God; with a joyful face, with open arms, He accepts from everyone the fragrant incense and bloodless, immaterial sacrifices of prayers and sends them to the Heavenly Father and God of all. To whom He Himself first worships, He gives worthy honor, and then asks Him to always be good and merciful to all of us. 69. Such is this great church 2138, embracing the entire universe, erected by its great Builder - the Word and existing on earth as a mental likeness of that which is above the vault of heaven, so that all rational creatures on earth would honor the Father and worship Him. 70. But the region higher than heaven, and the examples of what we see here: Jerusalem, called the heavenly, the heavenly Mount Zion and the city of the Living God located above this whole world, in which ten thousand angels and the Church of the firstborn, written in heaven 2139, magnify their Creator and Ruler of all with ineffable and incomprehensible songs of theology - that region no mortal can properly praise, for “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him” 2140. 71. However, having been rewarded in part with these blessings, all of us: husbands, wives and children, small and large, together and unanimously will not cease to confess and glorify the Giver of such blessings, “who forgives all our iniquities, heals all our illnesses, delivers our lives from destruction, crowns us with mercy and bounties, fulfills our desires with blessings; because He did not create for us according to our iniquities and did not repay us according to our sins, but as the east is far from the west, so He removed our iniquities from us. As a father has mercy on his sons, so the Lord has mercy on those who fear Him." 2141 72. Reviving this in memory now and at all times, contemplating mentally, day and night, every hour, with every exhalation, loving and honoring with all the strength of our souls the One who gathered us all and sent us this bright and joyful holiday, let us stand up and beg Him out loud, may He save and preserve us to the end, His flock, may He grant us an eternal, inviolable and unshakable gift in Christ Jesus our Savior, through whom to Him be glory forever and ever. Amen". 1. Let us now present the decrees of the emperors Constantine and Licinius translated from Latin. Copy of imperial regulations 2142 translated from Latin: 2. “For a long time, considering that the freedom of worship of God should not be constrained, but, on the contrary, it is necessary to allow the mind and will of everyone to engage in Divine objects of their own choice, we issued a command both to all others and to Christians to preserve their faith and their worship of God. 3. But since the decree containing this permission mentioned vaguely many and different religions, it is possible that some were soon deprived of the opportunity to maintain their faith. 4. When I, Constantine Augustus, and I, Licinius Augustus, arrived safely in Milan and discussed everything that pertains to the general benefit and well-being, then, among other things that we considered in many respects useful for everyone, we decided first of all to issue a decree that would support the fear of God and reverence, that is, to grant both Christians and everyone freely, according to their own desire, to choose faith, so that the heavenly Deity, no matter how He is called, would be treated favorably both to us and to our subjects. 5. So, guided by common sense and justice, we announce our following decision: no one is forbidden to freely choose and observe the Christian faith, and everyone is given the freedom to turn his thoughts to the faith that, in his opinion, suits him, so that the Divine may send us in all cases quick help and every good. 6. It pleases us to completely cancel the 2143 orders regarding Christians sent previously by your piety, which are very absurd and incompatible with our meekness. From now on, anyone who freely and simply chooses the Christian faith can observe it without any hindrance. 7. We decided to explain this in detail to your guardianship, so that you would know that we have granted Christians the full right to perform divine services. 8. Since they are given unlimited freedom, it should be clear to your honor that freedom is also given to others, if they wish, to observe their faith, which corresponds to our time of peace: let everyone freely, at their own discretion, choose their faith. We have determined this so that it does not seem as if we are belittling the dignity of any faith. 9 . In addition, regarding Christians, we decree the following: if the places in which they used to gather and about which the letter previously sent by your honor prescribed something completely different, were purchased from our treasury or from anyone, then let them be returned to Christians free of charge, without returning the amount paid for them, immediately and unquestioningly. Likewise, those who received such places as a gift must immediately return them to Christians. 10. And if those who bought these places or received them as a gift want to ask for a reward for them from our kindness, then let them go to court to our ruler, and our mercy will not leave their requests unheeded. All this, through your care, must be returned to Christian society without delay. 11. And since Christians owned not only those places where they usually gathered, but also others that constituted the property not only of individuals, but of the whole society, then, according to the law we have just outlined, you will order without any delay to return them to Christians, that is, to their entire society and each meeting, observing, of course, the mentioned instruction that those who returned those places should expect a reward from our kindness free of charge. 12. In all this, you must provide the above-mentioned community of Christians with all possible assistance, so that our order is carried out as quickly as possible and our concern for the general peace of the people is manifested. 13. For such deeds, as stated above, may God’s favor, which we have already experienced on many occasions, remain with us at all times. 14. And so that this law, which testifies to our benevolence, is brought to the attention of everyone, order what we have written to be published everywhere and communicated to everyone, so that the law given out of our kindness may be known to everyone.” 15. A copy of another imperial decree authorizing donations only to the Catholic Church: “Hello, most respected Anulin 2144! Loving what is good, we do not intend to encroach on other people’s property, but we want it, most honorable Anulin, to be returned to the owner. 16. Therefore, we desire that, upon receipt of this charter, you immediately order the return to the Christians of the Catholic Church in every city or other places everything that belonged to them and that is now in the possession of either citizens or other persons, for we have decided to return to the churches their former property. 17. If you, pious one, clearly see the meaning of this command of ours, then take care that the gardens, houses, and in general everything that belonged to these churches are returned to them in their entirety and as quickly as possible. We would like to know that you fulfilled this command of ours with the greatest accuracy. Be healthy, most honorable and kind Anulin!” 18. A copy of the imperial letter, which commands a council of bishops to be in Rome for unity and like-mindedness: “Constantine Augustus to Miltiades 2145, Bishop of Rome, and Mark. From Anulinus, the Most Serene Proconsul of Africa, I received many important messages that Caecilian 2146, Bishop of Carthage, and some of his African co-bishops accuse 2147 of many things. It is especially regrettable to me that in those provinces that God’s Providence handed over to me with their voluntary consent, and very populous ones at that, there are people who are divided, as it were, into parties, and even disputes and disagreements arise between bishops. 19. I think let Caecilian, with the ten bishops who accuse him, and with ten others whom he will take as necessary defenders, arrive by sea to Rome, so that there in the presence of you, as well as Retitius 2148, Maternus 2149 and Marina 2150, your fellow bishops, whom I also ordered to hasten to Rome, he could be heard 2151; as you know, this is in accordance with the most sacred law. 20. And so that you can have the most complete information about all this, I sent to your mentioned co-bishops, along with my letter, copies of the documents sent to me by Anulin. After reading them, you, strong people, will decide how to discuss this matter and make a fair decision. Of course, it will not escape your attention how much respect I have for the legitimate Catholic Church, and that is why I want you not to allow schism or disagreement anywhere. May the great God protect you, most honorable one, for many years to come.” 21. A copy of the imperial letter by which a second council was appointed to resolve any disagreement between the bishops: “Constantine Augustus to Bishop Christ of Syracuse. For a long time, some people began to move away from the veneration of the holy heavenly Power and from the Catholic Church. Wishing to put an end to these quarrels, I ordered that certain bishops be invited from Gaul, and also that representatives of the hostile parties constantly and stubbornly arguing with each other be summoned from Africa, so that in a general meeting and in the presence of the Bishop of Rome, the issue that caused this confusion could be carefully discussed and settled. 22. But some, as it happens, have forgotten about their salvation and the reverence that should be shown to the most holy faith, and do not think of stopping their quarrels. They are unwilling to comply with the decision, arguing that only a small number of people expressed their opinion and that all the necessary circumstances of the case were not first and carefully examined and the decision was made with haste and vehemence. From all this it happens that those who should have fraternal unanimity are in a shameful, even vile, division and give people far from the most holy faith a reason for ridicule. Therefore, I considered it my duty to see to it that this matter, which should have been concluded after a decision was made by common consent, at least now in the presence of many came to an end. So, I ordered that by the Kalends of August 2152 very many bishops from various places should gather in the city of Arelate 2153, and I decided to write to you so that you would receive permission from the Most Serene Latronian, governor of Sicilia, to use the state mail 2154. Take with you, at your choice, two clergy of the second degree 2155 and three servants who would serve you on the road. You must arrive at the place on the appointed day, so that you, with your firmness, and the rest, with your like-mindedness 2156 and unanimity, can put an end to this shameful discord. Having listened to everything that the disputing persons, whom we also ordered to appear, would say, it will be possible, although not immediately, to incline them to proper worship of God, to faith and fraternal unanimity. May Almighty God keep you healthy and unharmed for many years to come.” 1. Copy of the imperial letter on the issuance of money to the Churches: “Constantine Augustus to Caecilian, Bishop of Carthage. It pleases me to provide some well-known ministers of the most holy Catholic faith in all the dioceses of Africa, Numidia and Mauritania with something for expenses 2157. Я написал Урсу, знаменитейшему африканскому казначею, чтобы он позаботился отсчитать тебе 3000 фоллисов 2158 . 2. You, having received the indicated amount of money, ordered it to be distributed to all the persons named in the list that Hosea sent you 2159. 3. If you see that something is missing to completely satisfy everyone according to my decision, you can demand as much as you deem necessary from the manager of my estates 2160 Heraclides, whom I personally ordered in the event that you ask him for money, to give it to you without any delay. 4. It has also come to my attention that some people with unstable thoughts 2161 want to turn the people away from the most holy Catholic Church with false and shameful instructions. Therefore, let it be known to you that I gave orders to Proconsul Anulinus and Patricius, the deputy prefect, to have special supervision over this, without neglecting such cases. 5. So, if you notice people persisting in this madness, then without any doubt, contact the named judges and inform them about this, so that such people, following my personal order given to them, they punish. May the divinity of the great God protect you for many years.” 1. Copy of the imperial letter with the order to relieve the primates of the Churches from all public duties 2162: “Hello, our most respected Anulin. Since in many cases it is discovered that neglect of faith, which protects the highest reverence for the Most Holy Heavenly Being, entails great national disasters, and its observance, in accordance with the laws, brings, by the grace of God, great prosperity to the Roman state and special happiness to all human affairs, then we have decided, most venerable Anulin, that men distinguished by due holiness, obedient to the law and those who devote their strength to the service of the Divine faith should receive a reward for their labors. 2. Therefore, I wish to release once and for all those who are in the province entrusted to you and who are members of the Church, of which Caecilian is at the head, who have given themselves to the service of this holy faith (usually they are called clerics), so that they will not be distracted from the service of God by any deceit or sacrilegious inclination, but will fulfill their law without any hindrance. If they serve God with all zeal, this will bring much benefit to public affairs. Be healthy, most honorable and kind Anulin.” 1. This is how the Divine and heavenly grace of the appeared Savior bestowed upon us, such was the abundance of benefits that peace with us brought to people. And our prosperity was accompanied by joy and celebrations. 2. But for the lover of evil and the hater of good - the demon - this spectacle was unbearable, just as for Licinius the disastrous fate of the previously mentioned tyrants was an insufficient lesson of prudence. He was a good ruler; the great Emperor Constantine awarded him the second place after himself and the high honor of becoming related to him, but he left the path of goodness and followed the bad path of atheist tyrants. With his own eyes he saw the terrible end of their lives, but he preferred to share their way of thinking rather than maintain the friendship and favor of the best of sovereigns. 3. Full of envy towards the one who showered him with benefits, he began a criminal and cruel war with him, 2163, disdaining the laws of nature, not remembering either oaths, or kindred blood, or treaties. 4. The emperor, who favored him, gave him proof of his sincere affection: he did not consider it humiliating to become related to him, did not refuse a brilliant marriage with his sister, but honored him with blood relations with the noble ancient royal house 2164 and granted, as a son-in-law and co-ruler, full power to dispose of no less than a part of the peoples subject to Rome 2165. 5. Licinius acted on the contrary: every day he started all sorts of intrigues against the best of the sovereigns, as if he was consciously figuring out how to pay his benefactor with evil. At first he tried to hide his intentions, pretending to be a friend and hoping that by cunning and deception it would be easier to achieve his goal 2166. 6. Constantine’s friend, protector and guardian was God, who brought to light the entire conspiracy that was hatched against him secretly and in the dark. Godliness is a powerful weapon both in fighting our enemies and in securing our own salvation. Protected by it, our God-beloved emperor avoided the cunning machinations of the evil enemy. 7. Licinius, seeing that his secret intrigues were not succeeding, for God revealed to his beloved sovereign all the treachery and deceptions of his co-ruler, and no longer able to hide, began an open war 2167. 8. But, having decided to fight with Constantine, he prepared to rebel against the God of all, whom, as he knew, Constantine honored. He began little by little to persecute his pious subjects, who nowhere and in no way expressed dissatisfaction with his power; his innate malice made him neglect everything. 9 . He completely forgot about those who persecuted Christians before him, and about those whom he himself executed and punished for their wickedness. Having lost his common sense, completely gone mad, he decided to fight with God Himself - not with Constantine, whom God helped, but with Constantine’s Helper Himself. 10. First of all, he expelled all Christians from his palace 2168 and thus, unfortunate, he himself deprived them of their prayers before God, which, according to the custom and teaching of their ancestors 2169, they offer for everyone. Then he ordered that all warriors who did not sacrifice to demons 2170 be dismissed from service in each city and deprived of their ranks. But these were nothing compared to the great oppression. 11. However, why list separately and in detail the actions of this God-hater and talk about the most lawless laws that this man who broke all laws came up with? For example, by decree he forbade everyone, out of love for humanity, to serve food to the sufferers imprisoned in prisons, to take pity on hungry prisoners, and generally forbade them to be kind and do good out of a natural feeling of compassion for their neighbors. According to the law, extremely cruel and shameful, contrary to natural kindness, compassionate people had to endure the same punishment as those with whom they had compassion: they were chained and imprisoned - lovers of humanity were punished as criminals 2171. 12. These were the orders of Licinius. Is it necessary to list his innovations in laws regarding those getting married and dying? He dared to abolish the ancient Roman laws, fair and wise, and instead introduced some barbaric and cruel, unjust and truly lawless and illegal. He invented thousands of pretexts to extort gold and silver from conquered peoples in every possible way, to measure the land and collect taxes even from those farmers who no longer lived in the villages and had long since died 2172. 13. And where did this misanthrope not exile completely innocent people, what noble and worthy husbands did he not put under arrest, handing over their lawful wives to shame and reproach to his vile servants?! How many married women and pure girls did this decrepit old man dishonor to satisfy his uncontrollable lust! But why talk about it? I will say briefly that his first actions seem unimportant and not worth reproach in comparison with what he did in the end. 14. Having reached the limit of madness, he rushed at the bishops, seeing in them, servants of God of all kinds, opponents of his activities 2173. He acted out of fear of Constantine not openly, but secretly and cunningly, and with his machinations he destroyed the most famous. The method of murder was amazing, never heard of before. 15. What was done in Amasia 2174 and other cities of Pontus surpassed the most extreme cruelty. There, some churches were razed to the ground, while others were locked, so that their ordinary visitors would not be able to gather and perform the service of God 2175. 16. Knowing his evil, he thought that the prayers were not being offered for him, and was convinced that we were doing everything only for the God-loving emperor and begging God to be merciful only to him; That's why he brought all his anger down on us. 17. The flatterers from among his governors, wanting to please the wicked, subjected the bishops to such punishments as only villains deserve, and innocent men were taken into custody without any investigation and punished as murderers. The end of some of them was hitherto unprecedented: their bodies were cut into many pieces with a sword and after such a barbaric spectacle they were thrown into the depths of the sea to be devoured by fish. 18. After this, the flight of pious people began again, and again the servants of Christ were sheltered by fields, and again by deserts, forests and mountains. And since the wicked man succeeded in his measures, he decided to begin a general persecution of Christians in the future. 19. He would have fulfilled his intention - for nothing prevented him from getting down to business - if God, the Champion of souls devoted to Him, foreseeing what would happen, had not lit, as if in deep darkness and impenetrable night, a bright and saving lamp for everyone - if “with a strong hand” 2176 had not brought His servant Constantine to those countries. 1. God sent him victory from above as a worthy reward for piety, and threw the villain with all his advisers at the feet of Constantine. 2. Licinius reached the limits of madness in his actions against him, and then the beloved emperor came to the prudent conclusion that he could no longer be tolerated. Combining the severity of justice with philanthropy, he decided to help those who were disadvantaged by the tyrant, and, by eliminating several villains, save most of the people 2177. 3. Until that time, Constantine had treated Licinius philanthropically and pitied him, unworthy of pity, but this led to nothing: his malice did not decrease, on the contrary, he further increased his rage against the peoples subject to him; oppressed, tortured by this terrible beast, there was no hope of salvation. 4. Therefore, the defender of truth, who loved good and hated evil, gave a helping hand to those who were dying and set out on a campaign 2178 with his son Crispus 2179. And since they were led and helped by God and the Savior of all, the Son of God, the father and son, dividing their army 2180, surrounded the haters of God and easily won the victory 2181, for God made everything easier for them. 5. And so those who yesterday and the day before yesterday breathed death and threats 2182 suddenly disappeared 2183 faster than words, so that their names were not remembered. Their portraits and badges of honor were deservedly desecrated. Licinius suffered the same thing that wicked tyrants once suffered before his eyes, he suffered because he did not learn the lessons of prudence 2185, did not come to his senses with the scourges that struck his loved ones, but went the same road of wickedness and, of course, came to the same abyss as them. 6. And while he lay defeated, the great conqueror Constantine, overshadowed by the power of piety, together with his son Crispus, most God-loving and like his father in everything, took the East into his own possession and united the Roman Empire, in the ancient way, under one power, subjugating under his peaceful scepter the whole earth from sunrise to the extreme west, as well as the countries in the north and south. 7. People disappeared from all the fear in which their tormentors had previously kept them. Now the joyful and solemn days of crowded festivities have come: everything is filled with light. People who had previously walked with their heads down were now smiling welcomingly at each other. In all cities and villages, round dances were held and songs of praise were sung, with which Christians glorified, as they were taught, firstly, God Almighty, and then the pious emperor with all his God-loving children. 8. Former disasters and wickedness were forgotten; everyone enjoyed present benefits and, moreover, looked forward to future ones. The most humane decrees of the victorious sovereign and laws were promulgated everywhere, testifying to his generosity and true piety. 9 . All traces of tyranny were destroyed; firm and unchallenged royal power belonged to Constantine and his sons. Having erased all traces of the wickedness of their former rulers and realizing that so many blessings had been given to them by God, they showed their love for goodness and for God, gratitude to God and piety, revealing these virtues to people in their deeds. Paulinus († between 325 and 330) - an Antiochian presbyter who became bishop of Tire after the Great Persecution (c. 315); in 324 (according to other versions, in the late 320s) he was elected to the See of Antioch, which he held for 6 months until his death. Friend of Eusebius of Caesarea. He sympathized with Arius, who in the Epistle to Eusebius of Nicomedia called him his supporter (Theod. HE. I. 5). About Peacock, see: Brilliantov A.I. On the question of the philosophy of Erigena. On the history of the Arian dispute. The origin of Monophysitism: Works on the history of the ancient Church. St. Petersburg, 2006. pp. 139–141; Lebedev D. A. Pavlin and Zinon, bishops of Tyre // Byzantine temporary book. T. 20. Issue. 1. 1913. pp. 1–56. Compare: Lact. De mort. pers. L. 1. Cedars of Lebanon are the largest trees mentioned in the Bible. Their height is proverbial. Prophecy from the Book of Ezekiel (Ezek.37:7). According to the traditional interpretation, these bones symbolize the people of Israel (= the chosen people), torn from their roots, with lost hope, which the Lord revives and brings to the Promised Land (= to the light of Truth). Compare: Ezek.37:5–6, 9–10.14. The Sacrament of Communion with the Holy Gifts. The Tyrian speech was delivered on the day of the consecration of the church; this event is often dated to 315, although some researchers take a more cautious position, placing it in the period 315–319. Podir is a long blue robe worn by Jewish kings and high priests; It had the shape of a cassette with a hole for the head. For a description of it, see: Exodus 28:31–34. In this case, the podir symbolizes the highest spirituality, which allows Christian priests to be mediators between God and His people. In the Revelation of John the Theologian, the Savior Himself is clothed in the garment (Rev. 1:13). Bezalel (Hebrew: Bezalel) is a biblical character; son of Uriah from the tribe of Judah; Exodus participant; a skilled craftsman who was commanded by God to make cult objects - the tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, sacrificial utensils and priestly robes. Zerubbabel is the son of Shealtiel, the grandson of someone exiled to Babylon in 597 BC. e. King Jeconiah of Judah. In 538 BC. e. the Persian king Cyrus appointed him governor of Judea. Zerubbabel led the first wave of Jews returning to Palestine. He restored the cult of Yahweh in Jerusalem and founded a new church on the site of the destroyed one. See: Ezra 3:8–6, 15. The prophet Haggai revealed to Zerubbabel: “The glory of this last church will be greater than the first, says the Lord of hosts” (Hag. 2:9). See below: X. 4.36. Hippoc. De flat. 1 (translation given from the publication: Hippocrates. Selected books / Translated by V. I. Rudnev. M., 1936. P. 263). Wed: Orig. Contra Cel. IV. 15. We are talking about Diocletian's decree commanding the destruction of church buildings. See above: VIII. 2.4. Obviously, this refers to Galerius, whom Eusebius avoids calling by name. Augustus Constantine and Licinius. Wed: Ps.117:22; Matthew 22:42; Matthew 12:10; Luke 20:17; 1 Peter 2:5. See: Exodus 31:2–11; 35:30–35. Compare: Isa.51:17–18. 22–23; 52:1–2. This refers to the Peacock of Tire. The words of Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:2; Mark 13:2; Luke 19:44; 21:6). Constantius I Chlorus, Constantine the Great and Licinius. That is, the clergy. For details of Eusebius’s description of the architecture of the church at Tire, see: Smith Ch. Christian rhetoric in Eusebius' Panegyric at Tire // Vigiliae Christianae. Vol.43. 1989, pp. 226–247. That is, the Edict of Milan. This refers to the governor of the province. The decree was formalized as a message from the emperors to the governor of each province. Proconsul of Africa (see below: X. 5.18), possibly the son of Gaius Annius Anullinus, consul of 295. See: Jones A. N. M., Martindale J. R., Morris J. The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Vol. 1: AD 260–395. Cambridge, 1971, pp. 78–79. Miltiades (Melchiades) - Bishop of Rome in 311–314. Caecilian - Archdeacon of the Church of Carthage; close friend of Bishop Mensurius; elected to the See of Carthage in 311 Caecilian's opponents called him a protégé of the traditors (from the Latin traditor - “traitor”) - bishops who, during persecutions, handed over sacred books to the authorities. The late Bishop Mensurius, Caecilian's patron, and Bishop Felix, who ordained him, were both traditionalists. Outraged by the election of Caecilian, 70 Numidian bishops gathered at a council in 312 and ordained the anagnost (reader) Majorinus bishop of Carthage. This group consisted of rigorists who rejected a lenient attitude towards apostates. Later they formed an independent church community - the Donatist Church (named after Donatus Magna, bishop of the Numidian city of Casa Nigra, who headed it in 313). See: Frend W. H. S. The Donatist Church: A Movement of Protest in Roman North Africa. Oxford, 1952; Kriegbaum V. Kirche der Traditoren oder Kirche der Märtyrer? Die Vorgeschichte des Donatismus. Innsbruck, 1986. Retitius - Bishop of Autun; at the Roman Council of 313 he was elected judge in the case of the Carthaginian schism. Author of a treatise against Novatianism and a commentary on the Song of Songs, which have not reached us. About him see: Hier. Vir. ill. LXXXII. Matern - Bishop of Cologne; at the Council of Rome 313 was a judge in the case of the Carthaginian schism. Marin - Bishop of Arelat; Chairman of the Council of Arelat 314 The Council of Rome, held on October 2, 313, acquitted Caecilian and recognized him as the legitimate bishop of Carthage; Majorin was asked to postpone his claims until the next episcopal elections. Arelat (modern Arles) is a trading city in Narbonne Gaul, on the lands of the Ligurian Salii, not far from the mouth of the Rodan. From that time on, it became the custom of emperors to grant bishops whom they invited to one or another council the right to use the state postal (transport) service free of charge. See the ironic remark on this matter by the pagan historian Ammianus Marcellinus: “Entire bands of bishops traveled back and forth, using the state mail, to the so-called synods, trying to organize the entire cult according to their decisions. He [Constantine’s heir Constantius II] caused terrible damage to the state postal service” (Amm. Marc. XXI. 16. 18). The Council of Arelat, held in August 314, rehabilitated Caecilian and condemned his opponents. During the schism in the Carthaginian church, Constantine provided great financial assistance to Caecilian's supporters. Follis is a bronze coin weighing approx. 10 grams alloyed with silver (4%), minted by Diocletian in 294. Hosius (c. 260–359) - Bishop of Corduba (modern Cordoba) in Spain; confessor of the faith under Maximian Herculius; prominent participant in the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea. He enjoyed the special favor of Constantine the Great. The author of the treatise “On Virginity” that has not reached us. From him the Epistle to Constantius II has been preserved (Athan. Hist. Ar. 44). About Hosius, see: Brilliantov A.I. On the question of the philosophy of Erigena... P. 98–120; Chadwick H. Ossius of Cordova and the Presidency of the Council of Antioch 325 // The Journal of Theological Studies. NS. Vol. 9. 1958. P. 292–394; Clercq V. C. de. Ossius of Cordova: A contribution to the history of the Constantinian period. Washington, 1954. Comes rerum privatarum - an official in charge of the operation and collection of income from the public and private estates of the emperor. This refers to the opponents of Caecilian (Donatists). We are talking about responsibilities imposed on wealthy residents of late antique cities and associated with significant financial costs. Having freed Christian priests from them, Constantine thereby equated them with the pagan priests, who had long enjoyed this privilege. Eusebius speaks only of one war between Constantine and Licinius. In fact, the emperors fought twice. The historian is silent about the conflict of 314, which ended with Constantine’s victory in the battle of Kibal (modern Vinkovci) in the Sava River valley on October 8, 314 and a new redistribution of the Empire - Licinius renounced all his Balkan possessions, with the exception of Thrace, and Constantine recognized his authority over the Asian provinces, Libya and Egypt. See: Eutr. X. 5; Aur. Vict. Caes. XLI. 5. According to one version, the father of Constantine the Great, Constantius I Chlorus, was the grandnephew of Claudius II of Goth (SHA. Claud. IX. 9; X. 7; XIII. 1–2), who traced his family back to the forefathers of the Trojans Dardan and Ilus (SHA. Claud. XI. 9). The entire eastern half of the Empire was under the rule of Licinius. See also: Chron. Olymp. 275. See also: Sulp. Sev. IL 33.2. On the cruelty of Licinius, see: Aur. Vict. XLI. 4; Epit. XLI. 8. The author of Extracts from Aurelius Victor also speaks of the greed of Licinius; he, however, notes, unlike Eusebius, that the policy of this emperor was beneficial to the farmers (Epit. XLI. 8–9). On the tax policy of Licinius, see: Grégoire H. About Licinius' fiscal and religious policy // Byzantion. Vol. 13. 1938. P. 551–560. Licinius, in particular, prohibited the convening of episcopal councils and the missionary activities of Christian preachers (Socr. 1.3) Amasia is an ancient city in Asia Minor on one of the tributaries of the Halys River; administrative center of the province of Elenopont. Moreover, Bishop Basil of Amasia was beheaded and his body thrown into the sea. See: Chron. Olymp. 275. See also: Socr. I. 4. Compare: Epit. XLI. 5. The cause of the war was the invasion of Constantine's army into Thrace, which belonged to Licinius, under the pretext of fighting the Sarmatians, who were devastating the Balkan Peninsula. Licinius protested and then marched with a huge army (170,000 soldiers) to Adrianople. Crispus (303–326) - the eldest son of Constantine the Great from his concubine Minervina; talented commander; in 320 he became Caesar and received control of Gaul. At the beginning of 326, he was executed in the Istrian city of Pola on the orders of his father (Amm. Marc. XIV. 11. 20; Aur. Vict. Caes. XLI. 11; Chron. Olymp. 276; Hier. Vir. ill. H. 80). Early Byzantine church historiography, however, tries to remove the blame from Constantine for the death of his son (Soz. I. 5; Evag. III. 41). About Crispus, see: Guthrie P. The Execution of Crispus // Phoenix. Vol. 20. 1966. P. 325–331; Herrmann-Otto E . Konstantin der Große. Darmstadt, 2007. S. 141–146; Pohlsander H. A. Crispus: Brilliant Career and Tragic End // Historia. Bd. 33. 1984. S. 79–106; Schmitt O. Constantin der Große. Stuttgart, 2007, pp. 221–229. Constantine appointed Crispus commander of the fleet, which independently operated in the Bosporus and Hellespont straits. 3 июля 323 г. Константин одержал победу над Лицинием в битве у Адрианополя. Licinius fled to Byzantium, declared Constantine deposed and appointed Martinian the praetorian prefect as the second Augustus. Then Crispus defeated the fleet of Licinius, commanded by Avant, in the Hellespont Strait, and approached Byzantium. Then Licinius left the city and crossed to the Asian shore of the Bosporus. Constantine immediately began pursuing his enemy, overtaking him at Chrysopolis in Bithynia, where on September 18, 323 he inflicted a final defeat on him. See: Eutr. X. 6.; Aur. Vict. XLI. 7–8; Epit. XLI. 5–7; Socr. I.4. After the defeat at Chrysopolis, Licinius fled to his capital Nicomedia, intending to continue his resistance, but his wife Constance, Constantine's half-sister, convinced him to surrender. Constantine, having given Licinius a warm welcome, sent him into honorable exile to Thessalonica, but some time later ordered his death. See: Eutr. X. 6. 1; Epit. XLI. 7; Socr. I. 4. Socrates Scholasticus justifies this murder, claiming that Licinius, while in Thessalonica, organized a conspiracy against him (Socr. I. 4). Soon the son of Licinius and Constance, Licinius the Younger, was executed (Eutr. X. 6.3). You might be interested in: