Sts. King Constantine & Queen Helena

Sts. King Constantine & Queen Helena

May 21st is the commemoration of the dukhrono of St. King Constantine the Great +337 and his mother St. Helena +328 according the Liturgical Calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Mor Constantine the Great was the son of Flavius Constantius & Helena. He was brought up in Drepanum his mother’s birthplace. With his Edict of Milan in A.D. 313, the three-centuries-long persecution came to an end. The external threat of the persecution by the Roman government ended However the internal threat of the Arian heresy sprung forth. Constantine convened the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea to combat the Arian heresy in 325AD. The council repudiated the Arian heresy and formulated the statement of faith known as "The Nicene Creed" Constantine’s adherence to Christianity was closely associated with his rise to power. He fought the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (according to Eusebius, during the campaign against Maxentius) in the name of the Christian God, having received instructions in a dream to paint the Christian monogram (Cross) on his troops’ shields to invoke the help of Christ. In the Syriac Orthodox Church the prayers on the feast of the Holy Cross on 14 September allude to this event. In addition the Sh'himo prayers of Friday say, "May the cross of light that was shown to Constantine in the sky be a high wall to the churches and the monasteries." He issued numerous laws relating to Christian practices. He extended several privileges to the clergy. Emperor Constantine died on 21 May A.D. 337 at Ancryona, Izmit, Turkey. Shortly before his death, he was baptised by Eusebius of Nicomedia. After his baptism he refused to wear the imperial purple and died wearing the white baptismal robe. He was entombed in the church of the Holy Apostles. Mort Queen Helena the mother of St. King Constantine was born in Drepanum. She married Constantine Chlorus, who after the birth of Constantine, later divorced her for political reasons. Helen embraced Christianity at the instance of Constantine at the age of 63. Queen Helen was very considerate to the poor and needy. Queen Helen was eager to discover the cross on which Jesus was crucified. This is evident from the hymn recited during the procession of MidLent (phelgo d-sawmo/paathinombu): Queen Helen came Jerusalem – From Rome, Royal town To worship the Cross on which – Jesus was hanged on She called together – All the Jews she knew Asked them to show her – Place of Jesus Cross They told her that they got a - Leading commander If you ask him, he will show – Place of Jesus Cross Halleluiah.. Vu .. Halleluiah…. Three crosses were discovered on March 24 while preparing the site for constructing the church at Golgotha. In the Sh'himo The Bo’outho of Mor Yacoub of Sarug (the Prayer of the third hour for Friday) describes the anecdote vividly: “Judas stood up and girded his loins manfully and dug and found three crosses which lay together; the mother of the king was sad because of this, because she did not know which was the cross of the Son of God. Judas said to her: do not be grieved, blessed one, the Lord lives who will show you which is his cross. The Father was pleased to show the cross of light by means of a dead youth, who was being accompanied on the way to the grave. When they placed them one after the other on the dead man, the people cried: living cross, show your power; the dead man saw the cross of light and rose from the bier and all who saw him gave glory to him who raised him up” The portions of this cross were considered to be very precious and prelates used pieces of this cross in their handcross during the fourth century. A portion of the cross is inserted in the handcross of St. Gregorius Abdul Jaleel +1671 of North Paravur. The last days of Queen Helen were spent at Palestine and her dead body was taken to Rome when she passed. Biographies courtesy "Martyrs, Saints and Prelates of The Syriac Orthodox Church" Oh Mor Constantine and Morth Helena plead for us before God's throne of grace! May the power of the true Holy Cross protect us from the evil one and all his forces. Amen RSoH