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When the Roman Emperor [[Constantine the Great]] embraced Christianity, he summoned the [[First Ecumenical Council]] at [[Nicea]] in [[325]] to resolve a number of issues which troubled the Church. The bishops at the council confirmed the position of the [[metropolitan see]]s of Rome and Alexandria as having authority outside their own province, and also the existing privileges of the churches in Antioch and the other provinces.<ref>"Let the ancient customs in Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis prevail, that the Bishop of Alexandria have jurisdiction in all these, since the like is customary for the Bishop of Rome also. Likewise in Antioch and the other provinces, let the Churches retain their privileges" (First Ecumenical Council, [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf214.vii.vi.viii.html Canon VI]).</ref> These sees were later called [[Patriarchate]]s and were given an [[order of precedence]]: Rome, as capital of the empire was naturally given first place, then came Alexandria and Antioch. In a separate canon the Council also approved the special honor given to [[Jerusalem in Christianity|Jerusalem]] over other sees subject to the same metropolitan.<ref>"Since custom and ancient tradition have prevailed that the Bishop of Ælia [i.e., Jerusalem] should be honoured, let him, saving its due dignity to the Metropolis, have the next place of honour" (First Ecumenical Council, [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf214.vii.vi.x.html Canon VII]</ref>