Saint Constantine.

[Johnboy60]

Hi, Here is website about Saint Constantine.

http://www.roman-empire.net/decline/constantine-index.html


Robert.

 

[Eusebios]

Interesting site, about a most interesting saint.
His unworthy servant,
Eusebios (of Samosata)

 

[Bingley]

Another article on Constantine:

http://www.roman-emperors.org/conniei.htm#41

 

[Eusebios]

Here is another article on St. Constantine
Under His Mercy,
Eusebios.

 

[Bingley]

An interesting exercise, reading the historian's account side-by-side with the hagiographer's. Thanks.

 

[BWV 1080]

Why are you referring to Constantine as a Saint? I was curious myself about his status and asked about it to Catholic Answers:

(me)
What is the Church's view on Constantine and his vision at the Milvian Bridge? Has the church pronounced on the authenticity of his vision? Has anyone tried to canonize him or, on the other hand is it permissible for a Catholic to view him as a cynical political opportunist? I don't have an axe to grind on the issue, just curious.

(Fr. Serpa answers)

While the Church has made no official pronouncements regarding his vision, history acknowledges that it was some inner experience that caused Constantine to change the course of history in granting freedom to Christianity. While due to some of his un-Christians actions history does not show him to be a saint, it does call him great. He remained a catechumen until the end of his life when finally he laid aside his royal purple, took on the white robe of the neophyte and received Baptism. He died shortly thereafter. So we trust that he is a saint in heaven, though not a canonized one.

I encourage you to read the full section on Constantine in the old Catholic Encyclopedia:


Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.

​

 

[Bingley]

The Catholic Church does not regard him as a saint, but the Orthodox Church does.

BTW, is there any official procedure by which the Orthodox Church recognises saints? If there is, when was Constantine recognised? IIRC the Catholic Church has 'de-listed' a number of saints, such as St. Christopher and St. Valentine, who probably never existed. Has the Orhodox Church done anything similar?

Apologies for any defects in terminology. Please put it down to ignorance rather than any wish to offend.

 

[Iacobus]

The Catholic Church does not regard him as a saint, but the Orthodox Church does.

BTW, is there any official procedure by which the Orthodox Church recognises saints? If there is, when was Constantine recognised? IIRC the Catholic Church has 'de-listed' a number of saints, such as St. Christopher and St. Valentine, who probably never existed. Has the Orhodox Church done anything similar?

Apologies for any defects in terminology. Please put it down to ignorance rather than any wish to offend.

Hi Bingley

The Orthodox don't have as official a procedure as the Roman Catholics do. Often a saint will be declared by a particular synod or patriarch, and then later that recognition will spread among the other Orthodox. Other times, a saint will be recognized first by the laity, and eventually receive official recognition. St. Seraphim of Sarov is an example of this.

Constantine was recognized as a saint very early. I cannot recall precisely when, but it was not very long after his death.

Once a Saint is declared in Orthodoxy, however, I am unaware of any instance where it was undone as the Roman Catholics have done. (Although I think the official word on their end is that those saints are still recognized, but that they have been taken off the list of those who are commemorated. Very confusing. ) Still, that whole affair was puzzling and frustrating to many Orthodox, as the RCC knocked off many saints very dear to Orthodox, such as St. Nicholas. Similarly, a friend of mine has St. Christopher as his patron, and becomes very ill at the suggestion that his saint never existed.

On the other hand, St. Valentine has never been recognized as a saint in the Orthodox Church.

James

 

[Bingley]

Thank you Iacobus.