Constantine was in power under various titles in Gaul and
Britain for five years until, in 311, when Galerius died, he began his
march on Rome, during which he is said to have had his vision of the
cross with the words [Greek: en touto nika]. In 314 the bishops of
York, London, and some other uncertain British see attended the
Council of Arles which sat to deal with the Donatist schism. The
British Church was also represented at the Council of Nicaea, called by
Constantine in 325 to consider the Arian heresy, when the Nicene Creed
in its original form was authorized; the British vote was orthodox. It
was Constantine who in 321 first made Sunday a holiday, but whether
Christianity or Mithraism prompted him to this is doubtful.
(22-23) When Constantine the Great died in 337 the empire was divided
between his sons. Constantius II. received the east; Constans, Africa,
Italy, and the Danuvian region; Constantine II., Gaul and Spain. In
340 Constantine II. attacked Constans and was killed. Constans then
ruled the united west; it seems that Constans and Constantius II.
visited Britain in 343. Constans was assassinated in 350; this left
Constantius II. alone. His policy of toleration towards the Arians led
to a great Church Council in 359. The eastern bishops met at Seleucia,
the western at Ariminum, where Britain was represented.
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