Yet this commemoration, which fell Feb. 3, is one of the most
important events in Church history, marking the date when
Christians were set free from three centuries of persecution.
For the first time, the faithful had the same religious
liberties that other religious groups enjoyed: They gained legal
protections that allowed them to build places of worship, and
had their confiscated possessions restored. In essence, the
Edict of Milan that was signed by Emperor Constantine in 313
heralded the official birth of Western Christian civilization
and the free societies so many enjoy today. The extent of the
persecution Christians had hitherto suffered is almost
incomprehensible to the modern mind. Countless Christians were
tortured and killed under the emperors Nero (who notoriously had
St. Peter crucified in 64 AD), Domitian, Marcus Aurelius, and
Septimius Severus. They then abated under Severus Alexander
(208-235) who was sympathetic to Christians, only to flare up
again under Emperors Maximus Thracian, Decius,