What does the Edict of Milan state about Christianity?

Answer 1

Actual words of the edict:

"... we might grant to the Christians and others full authority to observe that religion which each preferred; whence any Divinity whatsoever in the seat of the heavens may be propitious and kindly disposed to us and all who are placed under our rule And thus by this wholesome counsel and most upright provision we thought to arrange that no one whatsoever should be denied the opportunity to give his heart to the observance of the Christian religion, of that religion which he should think best for himself, so that the Supreme Deity, to whose worship we freely yield our hearts) may show in all things His usual favor and benevolence. Therefore, your Worship should know that it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever, which were in the rescripts formerly given to you officially, concerning the Christians and now any one of these who wishes to observe Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without molestation. We thought it fit to commend these things most fully to your care that you may know that we have given to those Christians free and unrestricted opportunity of religious worship. When you see that this has been granted to them by us, your Worship will know that we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have the free opportunity to worship as he pleases ; this regulation is made we that we may not seem to detract from any dignity or any religion."

Answer 2

The Edit of Milan finalised the end of the Great Persecution of the Christians which had been sanctioned two years earlier by the Edict of Tolerance by the Emperor Galerius. The so-called Edict of Milan reiterated the end of the persecution. It seems that it was not an edict, but a letter written by the co-emperors Constantine I and Licinius which was aimed at the eastern part of the Roman Empire, where a co-emperor, Maximinus Dia, had ignored Galerius' edict and continued the persecution in Egypt and the Asian territories. It also gave the instruction to the governors of the provinces in the eastern part of the empire to carry out what the letter provided for. When Maximinus Dia was defeated by Licinius, a month after the "Edict" of Milan, his persecutions in this part of the empire ended.

The "Edict" of Milan also provided for the return of Christian property which had been confiscated during the persecution and the payment of compensation by the state to those who returned this property. This had not been included in Galerius' edict. Thus the "Edict" of Milan guaranteed the safety of the Christians in the areas of the empire where there was still persecution and eased the disruption the persecution had created through the return of Christian property.