Reference Dok. 29; Urk. 25; CPG 8517
Incipit Τελείαν παρὰ τῆς θείας
Date fall 325
Ancient sources Athanasius, De decretis Nicaenae 38.1-9
Socrates, Church History 1.9.17-25
Anonymous Church History 2.37
Modern editions Athanasius, De decretis Nicaenae (AW 2:37)
Socrates, H.E. (W. Bright, 2nd ed.; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1893)

Following the Council of Nicaea, the emperor sent a letter to the congregation in Alexandria proclaiming what had been decreed at the council.  He declares that Arius and his heresy had been rejected and urges the Alexandrians to renounce any adherence or favor towards Arianism and to accept wholeheartedly the Nicene Council’s decrees.  Constantine adds that he will soon visit Alexandria personally and rejoice with them on account of the victory over heresy. This letter can also be accessed in Table 6 of our Ancient Descriptions of the Council of Nicaea documents.   

The Greek text below is that of Opitz in AW 2:37.  The English translation is that of Aaron West and Austin Claflin, adapted from that of Socrates version by Zenos (NPNF2 2:13-14).

Click here to access a downloadable pdf of this document.

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Κωνσταντῖνος Σεβαστὸς τῇ καθολικῇ Ἀλεξανδρέων ἐκκλησίᾳ.   Constantine Augustus, to the catholic church of the Alexandrians.
1. Χαίρετε, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί. τελείαν παρὰ τῆς θείας προνοίας εἰλήφαμεν χάριν, ἵνα πάσης πλάνης ἀπαλλαγέντες μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπιγινώσκωμεν πίστιν. 1. Greetings, my beloved brothers! We have received a complete blessing from Divine Providence, namely, we have been relieved from all error and been united in a common confession of one and the same faith.
2. Οὐδὲν λοιπὸν τῷ διαβόλῳ ἔξεστι καθ’ ἡμῶν· πᾶν ὅ, τι δ’ ἂν κακοτεχνησάμενος ἐπεχείρησεν, ἐκβάθρων ἀνῄρηται· τὰς διχονοίας, τὰ σχίσματα, τοὺς θορύβους ἐκείνους καὶ τὰ τῶν διαφωνιῶν, ἵν’ οὕτως εἴπω, θανάσιμα φάρμακα κατὰ θεοῦ κέλευσιν ἡ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐνίκησε λαμπρότης. ἕνα τοιγαροῦν ἅπαντες θεὸν καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι προσκυνοῦμεν καὶ εἶναι πεπιστεύκαμεν. 2. The devil will no longer have any power against us, since all the schemes he in his hatred had devised for our destruction, have been entirely overthrown from their foundations. At the command of God, the splendor of truth has dissolved all the poisons so deadly to unity: dissensions, schisms, commotions, and the like. We all now worship the One by name, and continue to believe that he is the One God.

3. Ἵνα δὲ τοῦτο γένηται, ὑπομνήσει θεοῦ συνεκάλεσα εἰς τὴν Νικαέων πόλιν τοὺς πλείστους τῶν ἐπισκόπων, μεθ’ ὧν καθάπερ ὡς εἷς ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐγὼ συνθεράπων ὑμέτερος καθ’ ὑπερβολὴν εἶναι χαίρων καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξέτασιν ἀνεδεξάμην.3. In order to accomplish all of this, at God’s summoning I assembled a large number of bishops at the city of Nicaea, and I joined them in investigating the truth, though I am only one of you, who rejoices exceedingly in being your fellow-servant.
4.  Ἠλέγχθη γοῦν ἅπαντα καὶ ἀκριβῶς ἐξήτασται, ὅσα δὴ ἀμφιβολίαν ἢ διχονοίας πρόφασιν ἐδόκει γεννᾶν, καὶ φεισάσθω ἡ θεία μεγαλειότης, ἡλίκα καὶ ὡς δεινὰ περὶ τοῦ ἡμετέρου σωτῆρος, περὶτῆς ἐλπίδος καὶ ζωῆς ἡμῶν, ἀπρεπῶς ἐβλασφήμουν τινές, τἀναντία ταῖς θεοπνεύστοις γραφαῖς καὶ τῇ ἁγίᾳ πίστει φθεγγόμενοί τε καὶ πιστεύειν ὁμολογοῦντες.4. All points which seemed ambiguous or could possibly lead to dissension have been discussed and accurately examined. May the Divine Majesty forgive the unfortunately huge number of the blasphemies which some were shamelessly uttering against the mighty Savior, our life and hope, as they declared and confessed things contrary to the divinely inspired Scriptures.
5. Τριακοσίων γοῦν καὶ πλειόνων ἐπισκόπων ἐπὶ σωφροσύνῃ τε καὶ ἀγχινοίᾳ θαυμαζομένων, μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν πίστιν, ἣ καὶ ταῖς ἀληθείαις ἀκριβὴς τοῦ θείου νόμου πέφυκε πίστις, εἶναι βεβαιούντων, μόνος Ἄρειος ἐφωράθη τῆς διαβολικῆς ἐνεργείας ἡττημένος καὶ τὸ κακὸντοῦτο πρῶτον μὲν παρ’ ὑμῖν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ παρ’ ἑτέροις ἀσεβεῖ γνώμῃ διασπείρας.  5. More than three hundred bishops, remarkable for their moderation and intellectual keenness, were unanimous in their confirmation of one and the same faith, a faith which has arisen in agreement with the truths of the Law of God. Arius alone had been misled by the devil, and was found to be the only one set on promoting this unholy mischief, first among you, and afterwards among others as well.
6. Ἀναδεξώμεθα τοιγαροῦν ἣν ὁ παντοκράτωρ παρέσχε γνώμην· ἐπανέλθωμεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀγαπητοὺς ἡμῶν ἀδελφούς, ὧν ἡμᾶς τοῦ διαβόλου ἀναιδής τις ὑπηρέτης ἐχώρισεν, ἐπὶ τὸ κοινὸν σῶμα καὶ τὰ γνήσια ἡμῶν μέλη σπουδῇ πάσῃ ἴωμεν.6. Let us therefore embrace that teaching which the Almighty has presented to us. Let us return to our beloved brothers from whom we have been separated by an irreverent servant of the devil. Let us eagerly come together as one common body with those who are our fellow members.
7. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τῇ ἀγχινοίᾳ καὶ τῇ πίστει καὶ τῇ ὁσιότητι τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ πρέπει, ἵνα τῆς πλάνης ἐλεγχθείσης ἐκείνου, ὃν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθρὸν εἶναι συνέστηκε, πρὸς τὴν θείαν ἐπανέλθητε χάριν. 7. This is fitting for such discernment, faith and holiness as yours, that you return to divine favor, since it has been proved that this error comes from a man who is an enemy of the truth.
8. Ὃ γὰρ τοῖς τριακοσίοις ὁμοῦ ἤρεσεν ἐπισκόποις, οὐδέν ἐστιν ἕτερον ἢ τοῦ θεοῦ γνώμη, μάλιστά ὅπου γε τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα τοιούτων καὶ τηλικούτων ἀνδρῶν ταῖς διανοίαις ἐγκείμενον τὴν θείαν βούλησιν ἐξεφώτισε. 8. This ruling, made by the collective judgment of three hundred bishops, cannot be other than the doctrine of God, especially where the Holy Spirit has illuminated the divine will by placing it upon the minds of so many dignified persons.
9. Διὸ μηδεὶς ἀμφιβαλλέτω, μηδεὶς ὑπερτιθέσθω, ἀλλὰ προθύμως πάντες εἰς τὴν ἀληθεστάτην ὁδὸν ἐπάνιτε, ἵν᾽ ἐπειδὰν ὅσον οὐδέπω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀφίκωμαι, τὰς ὀφειλομένας τῷ παντεφόρῳ θεῷ μεθ’ ὑμῶν ὁμολογήσω χάριτας, ὅτι τὴν εἰλικρινῆ πίστιν ἐπιδείξας τὴν εὐκταίαν ἡμῖν ἀγάπην ἀποδέδωκεν.

καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρί. ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφοί ἀγαπητοὶ.		9.  Therefore let no one sit on the fence or delay, but let everyone quickly return to the unquestionable path of duty, so that when I arrive among you (which will be as soon as possible), I may together with you return due thanks to God, who closely watches all things, for having revealed the pure faith, and for restoring to you that love for which you have prayed.
(Written by another hand.)  May God protect you, beloved brothers.

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Last updated 10/23/24 by GLT.

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