April 30, 311

The Edict of Galerius on Toleration

The mortally ill Galerius, the instigator of the Great Persecution, issued an edict a few days before his death. It permitted Christians to remain Christians and build meeting houses, provided they prayed for the well-being of the emperor and the state.

The edict ended the official persecution in the empire, and many confessors were released from prison. One book considers it even more significant than the Edict of Milan. Maximinus Daia, however, tried to resume persecution in the territories under his control.