The Reception of Nicaea in Rome: Samplings into the Correspondences of Julius and Liberius

This paper focuses on the reception of the Council of Nicaea in Rome during the pontificates of Julius (337–352) and Liberius (352–366), as reflected in their correspondences. It examines how the Nicene canons, creed, and the council itself were perceived and referenced within the Roman and Italian episcopate. Key letters in Julius’s correspondence include those from Marcellus of Ancyra, Hosius of Cordova, Protogenes of Sardica, Valens of Mursa, and Ursacius of Singidunum. For Liberius, attention is given to his letters to the Bishops of Macedonia, Italy, and Emperor Constantine, as well as the epistle from Eustathius, Silvanus, and Theophilus. Additionally, the study considers appeals to Nicaea’s authority in the Pseudo-Julian letters Decuerat vos fratres and Decuerat vos adversus. Through this analysis, a nuanced perspective emerges on the role of Nicaea in shaping Roman ecclesiastical identity until the mid-360s.