Constantine the Great
Constantine and Christianity
Constantine the Great, also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was the Emperor of Rome during 306 to 337. His father was Flavius Valerius Constantius who was a Roman army officer and his wife Helena.
Constantine experienced a dramatic event in 312 (aged 40) during the Battle of Milvian Bridge, succeeding and that claiming the throne as emperorship in the West. According to some sources, Constantine looked up to the sun before the battle started and saw a cross of light shining above it saying “in this sign you shall conquer!”. Constantine commanded his troops to victory wielding shilds with a Christian symbol ‘The Chi-Rho’ meaning Christ.
As emperor, Constantine enacted many administrative, social financial and military reforms to strengthen the empire including being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. Constantine played a significant role in the proclamation of the Edict of Milan (a document that was established religious tolerations for Christianity between the Roman emperors Constantine I and Licinius), which act religious tolerance throughout the empire. The Edict of Milan raised the stock of Christianity within the empire and it reminded the importance of religious worship to the state and made the empire officially neutral with regard to religious worship, so granting opposition to all religions, including Christianity.
Constantine is a significant figure in the history of Christianity because he was the first Christian emperor. Constantine built The Church of the Holy Sepulchre built on his orders at the place which is to be the original burial place of Jesus which is the holiest place in Christendom.
Constantine’s conversion to Christ helped Christianity in many ways. Followers of the Christian faith were safe from persecution, and the Christian leaders were gifted by the Emperor. Constantine’s loyalty to Christianity assuring exposure of all his subjects to the religion. He also made
Constantine the Great, also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was the Emperor of Rome during 306 to 337. His father was Flavius Valerius Constantius who was a Roman army officer and his wife Helena.
Constantine experienced a dramatic event in 312 (aged 40) during the Battle of Milvian Bridge, succeeding and that claiming the throne as emperorship in the West. According to some sources, Constantine looked up to the sun before the battle started and saw a cross of light shining above it saying “in this sign you shall conquer!”. Constantine commanded his troops to victory wielding shilds with a Christian symbol ‘The Chi-Rho’ meaning Christ.
As emperor, Constantine enacted many administrative, social financial and military reforms to strengthen the empire including being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. Constantine played a significant role in the proclamation of the Edict of Milan (a document that was established religious tolerations for Christianity between the Roman emperors Constantine I and Licinius), which act religious tolerance throughout the empire. The Edict of Milan raised the stock of Christianity within the empire and it reminded the importance of religious worship to the state and made the empire officially neutral with regard to religious worship, so granting opposition to all religions, including Christianity.
Constantine is a significant figure in the history of Christianity because he was the first Christian emperor. Constantine built The Church of the Holy Sepulchre built on his orders at the place which is to be the original burial place of Jesus which is the holiest place in Christendom.
Constantine’s conversion to Christ helped Christianity in many ways. Followers of the Christian faith were safe from persecution, and the Christian leaders were gifted by the Emperor. Constantine’s loyalty to Christianity assuring exposure of all his subjects to the religion. He also made