380

Theodosius's Edict "Cunctos populos" and the Emperor's Baptism

In 380 at Thessalonica, Theodosius fell gravely ill and was baptized upon his recovery. He issued the edict "Cunctos populos," requiring all peoples of the empire to profess the faith received by the Romans from the apostle Peter. It was the faith held by Damasus of Rome and Peter of Alexandria. That is, it was faith in a single Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with equality of the hypostases. All others were declared mad heretics, and their meeting places were not recognized as churches.

Demophilus, the Homoian bishop of Constantinople, refused to comply and was deposed. A group of bishops led by Peter of Alexandria secretly ordained the philosopher Maximus the Cynic bishop of the capital, bypassing Gregory of Nazianzus. This episode became the background to canons 2–4 of the 381 council.