What role did the Edict of Milan play in the history of the Catholic Church?
A:It is possible to exaggerate the importance of the Edict of Milan to the Christian Church, since it had already been granted official recognition by the Edict of Toleration. Emperor Constantine's Edict of Milan went further by granting additional rights to the Christian Church, including compensation for expropriated properties. However, the rights granted in the Edict of Milan come in the context of Constantine's patronage of the Church, which was of far greater value, both financially and spiritually, than the Edict of Milan. What the Edict did do was demonstrate throughout the Roman Empire the extent to which Constantine was prepared to favour Christianity over the more ancient beliefs.