The Edict Of Milan Essay Example

Significant events and figures within history have shown to cause drastic developments to the Catholic Church and the Mission. The Edict of Milan is a key example of this, where it legalised Christianity within the Roman Empire. The Edict of Milan was a political agreement, signed in Mediolanum (Milan) in 313 ADA between Roman rival Emperors; Constantine of the Western and Licinius the East. It granted religious freedom within Rome and returned confiscated property to Christians at “the places at which they were used formerly to assemble”. This then sparked the transition into the new ‘Christian’ Empire. The decree was an extension to the existing ‘Edict of Toleration’, mandated 2 years prior by Galerius (the third Roman Emperor). This particular edict had prevented persecution against one engaging in their religious practices, hence neutralising the ‘official persecution of Christianity’, started by Diocletian (roman emperor during 284 to 305 CE) in 303. 

The main objective of the Edict of Milan was to treat Christians benevolently and to end any means of oppression against them. Christian oppression had existed 300 years before the religion was made, as they did not conform/ engage to the traditional faiths of the State; ‘Polytheism’ (the worshipping of more than one god) and ‘Paganism’ (the same but instead follows a non-mainstream deity). The following statement from the edict had abolished this; "it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever, which were in the rescripts formerly given to you officially, concerning the Christians and now any one of these who wishes to observe Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without molestation." This heavily changed the lives of many Christians within the Roman Empire. With their emperor being open and accepting towards the religion, Christians were free from the fear of being persecuted. Though previous emperors such as Nero treated Christians cruelly during his ruling period of 54 A.D. Means of torture he would inflict upon them, included feeding them to lions during gladiator matches and burning them alive as torches. Emperor Nero also used Christians as a scapegoat, blaming them on acts such as the Great Fire of Rome in 64 A.D. Whether a sincere or political move to gain the support of his people, Constantine had shown compassion towards Christians, though, at the time, he was still Pagan. 

Examples of kindness included, personally giving out grants to build churches and making Christian government officials which would have not been allowed before the edict. Now with persecution against Christians abolished, they could live in peace performing their practices, granted by this edict. Many believed that Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity was influenced by his dream of where he won a war, after placing the Chi-Rho (a symbol of Christ) on all the shields of his soldiers and banners. His acceptance of Christianity alongside the edict contributed significantly to the growth of the religion throughout the Roman Empire and into Europe.