He thereupon answered him, putting the question of Alexandria aside, and said, “Tell us now which, in your view, is more binding upon us: to worship the One who created us, or to worship one who did not create us?”

Arius replied, “Rather, the worship of the One who created us.”

The patriarch said to him, “If, as you claim, our creator is the Son and the Son is nevertheless created, then the worship of the created Son would be more obligatory (1) than the worship of the Father, who, according to you, did not create. Indeed, worshipping the Father who created the Son would amount to unbelief, while worshipping the created Son would be faith—and that is an appalling assertion.”

The emperor and everyone present approved the patriarch’s statement and denounced Arius’s doctrine. Many other issues were also raised between them, and Constantine ordered the patriarch to pronounce Arius—and everyone who held his view—an unbeliever.

The patriarch replied, “Instead, let the emperor send a personal summons to the patriarchs (2) and bishops so that we may convene a council, issue a ruling therein, declare Arius an unbeliever, and elucidate the faith for the people (3).”

Consequently, Emperor Constantine (4) sent letters to every land and gathered the patriarchs and bishops. They assembled in the city of Nicaea a year and two months later (5), numbering two thousand and eight