[1][2] Athanasius was involved in the early Christian christological and trinitarian debates, and supported the position of the Council of Nicaea in opposition to that of Arius and his followers.
[14] The emperor Constantine had ordered a Synod of bishops to be present at the consecration of the church which he had erected at Jerusalem (the precursor to the Holy Sepulchre).
[15][non-primary source needed] The Emperor also sent a letter to Athanasius, making clear that if he did not attend voluntarily, he would be brought to the Synod forcibly.
Eusebius of Nicomedia played a major role in the council and, according to Epiphanius of Salamis, presided over the assembly.
[2] This one charge, which was important to the Empire's livelihood, was enough for the emperor to exile Athanasius to Trier, then part of the Gallic prefecture of Rome (in present-day Germany).