Joe W. Summers
Grand Commander
Gerald R. “Jerry” Dodd
Editor
5748 S Iris Way
Littleton, CO 80123
[email protected]
Well the snow stopped, the sun is out birds are chirping and Easter is
right around the corner. Which brings me to think about the person
of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (reigned 306–
337). Christianity began to transition to the dominant religion of
the Roman Empire. Historians remain uncertain about Constantine's
reasons for favoring Christianity and theologians and historians have
argued about which form of Early Christianity he subscribed to. Although
Constantine had been exposed to Christianity by his mother Helena,
there is no consensus among scholars as to whether he adopted his
mother's Christianity in his youth, or at all. Constantine saw himself as an
'emperor of the Christian people'. If this made him a Christian is the
subject of debate, and he did not receive baptism until shortly before his
death. Constantine's decision to cease the persecution of Christians in
the Roman Empire was a turning point for Early Christianity, sometimes
referred to as the Triumph of the Church, the Peace of the Church or
the Constantinian Shift. In 313, Constantine and Licinius issued the Edict
of Milan decriminalizing Christian worship. The emperor became a great
patron of the Church and set a precedent for the position of the Christian
emperor within the Church and the notion of orthodoxy, Christendom,
ecumenical councils and the state church of the Roman Empire declared
by edict in 380. Constantine experienced a dramatic event in 312 at
the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, after which Constantine claimed the
emperorship in the West. According to these sources, Constantine
looked up to the sun before the battle and saw a cross of light above it,
and with it the Greek words "Ἐν Τούτῳ Νίκα" (in this sign, conquer),
often rendered in a Latin version, "in hoc signo vinces"(in this sign, you
will conquer). Constantine commanded his troops to adorn their shields
with a Christian symbol (the Chi-Rho), and thereafter they were
victorious. Constantine's laws enforced and reflected his Christian
reforms. Crucifixion was abolished for reasons of Christian piety, but was
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replaced with hanging, to demonstrate the preservation of Roman
supremacy. On March 7, 321, Sunday, the Day of the Sun, was declared
an official day of rest on which markets were banned and public offices
were closed. Previous to Constantine, Christians were arrested, tortured,
mutilated, burned, starved, and condemned to gladiatorial contests to
amuse spectators. Without Constantine and his victory at the Milvian
Bridge and his unity and uniformity of the Church we may not be
celebrating Easter as we see the celebration today. The statement of
faith that was produced by the Council of Nicaea during Constantine’s
rule read: “I believe in one God, Father Almighty, the maker of all things,
visible and invisible, and in on Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only
begotten Light of Light, a True God from a True God, begotten, not
Made, Omoousion to the Father who has made all things… And in the
Holy Spirit coming out of the Father and glorified together with Father
and the Son, which has spoken through the prophets…” This was the
text of the original statement of faith which has come down through the
centuries as the Nicene Creed.
Easter was set by the day of the Jewish Passover. Easter was celebrated
on a weekday, not on Sunday. Due to Constantine, Easter was to be
celebrated on the Sunday after the full moon following the Spring
Equinox. I also think of the story of The Red Eggs of Pascha in which Mary
Magdalene went to Emperor Tiberius and announced to him that Christ
had risen from the dead. His reply was if this was true, then the white
eggs in the basket should turn red. Suddenly the eggs turned red leaving
Caesar perplexed. This is why our tradition is to dye our eggs red for
Pascha.
I hope everyone had a great Easter.
Joe Summers
REGC
Here are two pictures from our latest outing of the York Rite Church Day,
Phillips United Methodist Church, Lakewood, CO on March 15,2015
colorado supplement
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