ìAbout forty years later, the question was discussed in a
very different spirit between Victor, bishop of Rome, and
Polycrates, metropolitan of proconsular Asia. That province
was the only portion of Christendom which still adhered to
the Jewish [Passover]. Victor demanded that all should
adopt the usage prevailing at Rome [the celebration of
Easter]. This Polycrates firmly refused to agree to, and urged
many weighty reasons to the contrary, whereupon Victor
proceeded to excommunicate Polycrates and the Christians
who continued the [Passover].î 28 (emphasis mine)Ending this question of honoring Passover or infusing Easter into the new
Christian Church was one of the motivating factors behind Constantineís call for
the Council at Nicaea in 325. In keeping with his adherence to Mithraism, Sunday
(the first day of the week) was chosen for the celebration of Easter.
ìA final settlement of the dispute was one among the other
reasons which led Constantine to summon the council at
Nicaea in 325. At that time the Syrians and Antiochenes
were the solitary champions of the observance of the 14th
day. The decision of the council was unanimous that Easter
was to be kept on Sunday, and on the same Sunday
throughout the world, and that none hereafter should follow
the blindness of the Jews.î 29It appears that this meeting was a mere formality and the decision to replace the
biblical observance of Passover with the pagan celebration of Easter had already
been made. Those that followed the dictates of scripture must have been absent
during this meeting, otherwise the committee could not have stood united in
judgment on this question.
ìAt this meeting the question concerning the most holy day
of Easter was discussed, and it was resolved by the united
judgment of all present that this feast ought to be kept by all
and in every place on one and the same dayÖî 30The day of Passover is controlled by the phases of the moon and the day of the
week on which it occurs varies from year to year. It was the LORD Almighty that
established this. But Emperor Constantine saw himself, not the Word of God, as
the final authority concerning this matter.
ìThe final decision always lay with accepted ecclesiastical
authorityÖ(choosing Easter Sunday) was primarily a matter of
ecclesiastical discipline and not astronomical science.î 31