peace and hotep,

Constantine the Great - Emperor Constantine I
Roman Emperor Constantine

Family and Birth of Constantine: Flavius Valerius Constantinus, who became the Emperor Constantine the Great, was born on Feb. 27, c. 280, in Naissus, in the province of Moesia Superior (Serbia), to a mother named Helena and an officer named Constantius. Constantine's father was to become the Emperor Constantius I or Constantius Chlorus and Constantine's mother

was to become the canonized St. Helena who was thought to have found a portion of the cross of Jesus.

In Hoc Signo Vinces: Constantine had probably experienced his great "in hoc signo vinces" vision in 312 before his victory at the Milvian Bridge battle. The story goes that Constantine had a vision of those words on a Christian cross and that this prompted Constantine to pledge to convert if he actually did win the battle. Since he was the victor, the vision led to his conversion to Christianity -- ultimately.

Constantine on Heresy: Constantine was not yet a Christian when he settled matters of Christian dogma and the Arian Controversy at the first Nicene Council, which ended on August 25, 325. As a result of his initial decision against the Arians, Constantine exiled his friend Eusebius for holding an heretical position, but then revised his opinion and recalled Eusebius.

Death of Constantine: Constantine died in 22 May, 337 at Nicomedia, shortly after his baptism by Arian bishop Eusebius of Nicomedia.Constantine is considered the most important of the later emperors because of
his victory against Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge,
his support for Christianity (he proclaimed the Edict of Milan in 313 granting religious freedom to all),
and his creation of a new central city for the Roman Empire at Byzantium (Constantinople).
Was the deathbed conversion of Constantine the act of a moral pragmatist?

"Constantine was enough of a Christian to wait until his deathbed to be baptized. He knew that a ruler had to to do things that were against Christian teachings, so he waited until he no longer had to do such things. That may be the thing that I most respect him for."

freedomisahapislave