MAY 22

On this day in 337 A.D,,  Constantine the Great died.  This is someone you should know about.

Constantine was Emperor of the Roman Empire from 306 until his death.  He was a great warrior.  He became emperor when the Empire was divided.  He worked through years of civil war and defeated the others claiming parts of the Empire.  The Empire was again united - he was the sole emperor.  As a symbol of his rule, Constantine moved his capitol city to Greece.  He renamed the city of Byzantium after himself - Constantinople (English spelling).  There he built a large church on the site of the Temple of Aphrodite.

Constantine's mother, Helena, was a Christian.   The Roman Empire persecuted Christians.   He changed everything.  Under his rule, Christians were no longer persecuted.  He designated Christianity the only religion of the Roman Empire.  He called the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council.  It produced the Nicene Creed.

The Roman Empire was about 15% Christian when Constantine became emperor and fifty years after his death it was over 50% Christian.  Both Constantine and his mother, Helena, are designated as saints by the Catholic and Anglican Church.
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