The Feast of the Honorable Cross
“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
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Saint Helen the Empress
She was born in the city of Raha (Edessa in Turkey) to Christian parents in the third century (about year 247 A.D). They brought her up in a Christian manner, taught her the doctrine of the church and the religious ethics. She was a very beautiful young lady who caught the attention of an emperor.
When Emperor Constantius the First, Emperor of Byzantium, came to the city of Raha, and heard about her, he sought her out and married her. She gave birth to Constantine, who became the first Christian Emperor. She brought him up well, and taught him philosophy, wisdom and knighthood.
Emperor Constantine the Righteous
Queen Helen gave birth to her son Constantine in 272 A.D. at Naissus (modern day Niš in Serbia). After his father's death, he received the kingdom and he reigned with justice and integrity, and stopped all unfair practices.
All the people were subject to him and loved him; his righteous judgement spread throughout the Empire. The nobles of Rome sent asking him to come and save them from the injustice of Maximianus. Constantine marched with his army toward Rome to save them.
The Vision of The Cross
During the war, Constantine saw in the heaven, in the middle of the day, a Cross made of stars, and on it was written in Greek words: "With this you shall conquer." That night, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a vision and said to him:
"Make a sign for yourself like that sign which you had seen, and with it you shall conquer your enemies."
The next morning, he prepared a large flag with the sign of the cross on it, and made the sign of the cross on all the armaments. He engaged with Maximianus in a battle and fought, and was able to defeat Maximianus, who withdrew his army.
Constantine entered Rome and its people welcomed him with joy and gladness, and its learned men praised the Honorable Cross and called it the Savior of their city. Then for seven days they celebrated the cross, and Constantine became the Emperor of the East and the West.
The First Christian Emperor
When Constantine established himself in Rome, he and most of his soldiers were baptized by the Pope of Rome. In the eleventh year of his reign, he sent throughout the kingdom and commanded to set free all those who were imprisoned for the sake of the Christian faith. He also issued that Christians should not work during Passion week, as was commanded by the Apostles.
In the seventeenth year of his reign, the Holy Council of the Three Hundred and Eighteen bishops assembled at Nicea in the year 325 A.D., which arranged the affairs of the Christians and laid down the cannons of the church. He rebuilt the city of Byzantium and called it after his name "Constantinople".
He also brought to Constantinople many of the bodies of the apostles and holy martyrs. This is why the Coptic Orthodox Church honors this righteous saint in its hymns:
"Blessed are you O Constantine, for you revived the faith, for this God gave you life, in the Kingdom of Heaven".