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GREAT TRIBUTE TO THE GREATEST EMPEROR OF ALL TIME WITH COMMENTARIES FROM THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH CONSTANTINE THE GREAT A unique leader
The Fathers of the Church often refer to Constantine the Great. They praise most favorably his unique personality, always keeping in mind the earlier historians who recorded—often in detail—the events of the reign of this unsurpassed emperor.
They commend his faith and piety, his philanthropic behavior, the honor he rendered to the saints and the Church, his refusal to believe slanders, the respect he showed to those who entrusted him with the truth, the great importance he attached to almsgiving, his reverence for God and recognition of divine providence, his patriotism, his love for his parents and collaborators, his political and strategic acumen, his valor that inspired courage in his soldiers, his profound esteem for people—regardless of nationality—who distinguished themselves by virtue, wisdom, and faith.
They further praise his lack of love for money, his integrity, his justice. They extol his quick-wittedness, the speed of making and executing even the most difficult decisions, his invincibility in battles, the universality of his visions, and his worldwide recognition in his era—and forever—his magnanimity as well as his great-souledness.
And together with him they praise the nation of the Romans that produced him, which, however, is Greco-Roman, for Constantine is indeed Roman and “Emperor of the Romans,” but at the same time, as a Hellene in culture and spirit, he is also “King of the Greeks,” as both the Church Fathers and the sacred texts call him with these titles.
After recording some indicative views of the Fathers based on certain virtues—characteristics of his—we will subsequently present translated passages from the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament where the two visions of the prophet concerning Constantine are described, along with the explanation of the first vision by an angel and the second by the archangel Gabriel. We will conclude with the interpretation given to the prophecy by Saint John Chrysostom.
His piety Undoubtedly, piety is the supreme virtue of the great emperor, greater even than his unique and unsurpassed valor.
The ancient writers had noted this, such as Eusebius, who writes that all admired Constantine because he displayed greater piety toward the Christian faith than valor against his enemies.
His moral purity from every aspect was universally acknowledged, and no matter how hard his detractors try, they will find no evidence in the sources to support their slanders.
This virtue of the mature man astonishes us when we consider that in pre-Christian times not only was immorality not considered sin, but it even had its own deities.
Saint Basil the Great mentions an incident recorded by both Eusebius and Lactantius. Before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Constantine saw in the sky the sign of the Cross with the words “In this sign conquer” (Ἐν τούτῳ νίκα). He placed the Chi-Rho on the shields of his soldiers and, trusting in divine help, won a decisive victory.
Saint Gregory the Theologian, Saint Maximus the Confessor, Isidore of Pelusium, and the sacred Photius all recount this wondrous event with laudatory judgments on Constantine’s faith and obedience to God.
His philanthropy Saint Gregory the Theologian mentions the beautiful moment when Constantine, with magnanimity, granted freedom and honor to the defeated Licinius, and makes the striking observation: “His abundance of courage stemmed from his philanthropy.”
And when, after taking a city, one of his generals suggested harsh measures, Saint Gregory reminds us that Constantine replied: “Cruelty is your trait, Parmenion-like; mine is gentleness and the desire that the conquered city escape danger.”
With the same philanthropic spirit, as Isidore of Pelusium writes, he freed prisoners and built hospitals and orphanages, satisfying the requests of virtuous men.
And as the sacred Photius preserves, rarely was there a day when he had not benefited someone. If ever it happened, he would say sorrowfully: “Today I have not reigned.”
Honor to friends and the faithful Saint Gregory of Nyssa writes that the wise admire the emperor of the Romans above all for his saying: “My treasure is my friends.”
The same wise words are attributed to Constantine by Saint Maximus the Confessor: “Someone asked Constantine: Where do you keep your treasures? And he pointed to his friends and said: In these here.”
Saint Gregory Palamas, addressing philosophers, recounts how, when a captive gave very useful counsel to Constantine, the Roman emperor gladly obeyed and numbered the man among his friends—despite his being a captive and uneducated.
Caution toward slanderers Saint Basil advises: “When we hear slanders against someone, let us do what Constantine did: listen with one ear only and keep the other free so that we may hear what the slandered person has to say.” The same advice is given by the sacred Photius in a letter.
Taxation and justice Timely yet timeless is the following saying of Constantine the Great, preserved again by Saint Maximus the Confessor: “When someone who pretended to love him said, ‘Your cities can pay more taxes,’ Constantine observed: ‘I hate the gardener who uproots the vegetables.’”
The prophecy of Daniel 8.1. The first vision of the prophet Daniel (Daniel 7:1,3,7)
- In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream… which he recorded…
- And four great beasts, each different from the other, came up from the sea…
- After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth… and it had ten horns.
8.2. Interpretation of the first vision by an Angel 16. I approached one of those who stood by and asked him the truth concerning all this… 17. These four great beasts are four kingdoms which shall arise upon the earth. [The fourth beast is traditionally interpreted by the Fathers as the Roman Empire, which Constantine would unify and Christianize.]
8.3. The second vision of the Prophet Daniel (Daniel 8:1,5-8 – adapted) 5. And as I was considering, behold, a he-goat came from the west… and he touched not the ground… 8. Therefore the he-goat waxed very great: but when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and instead of it there came up four notable ones…
8.4. Interpretation of the second vision by the Archangel Gabriel 21. And the rough goat is the king of Ellas [in broader patristic exegesis, the Greek-Roman world under Constantine]: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22. And as for that which was broken, in the place whereof four stood up, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power. [Some Fathers see in the “he-goat” the swift rise of Constantine from the West, uniting the empire under one Christian rule.]
8.5. The interpretation of the prophecy by Saint John Chrysostom The fourth beast with iron teeth is the Roman Empire, which devoured all before it. Yet God raised up Constantine, who, like a new horn, transformed the beast into a servant of the Cross.
He flew like an eagle over the world, for no one was swifter or more mobile than he—storming forth like a divine wind. The prophet says: “It had ten horns”—the divisions of the empire—yet Constantine subdued them all under one faith.
See his speed? We deduce it from the nature of the empire’s renewal and from the wings of divine favor. He traversed the entire oikoumene. “And dominion was given to it.”
When Constantine the emperor of the Romans overcame the tyrants and paganism, he acquired authority over the state. When he died, the empire was divided among his sons…
The prophet called the old order a ram, and the goat the king of the Greco-Romans—meaning Constantine the Roman. Speaking of four horns, he means the successors who followed…
Thus the prophet sees through the fourth beast the Roman Empire… and foretells how Constantine the Roman overthrew the reign of darkness.
The nation of the Romans was renowned even before the coming of Christ, and everywhere all praised it more than others. The Romans are considered admirable because they were transformed by Constantine. For his achievements surpassed all reason: starting from a divided realm, he conquered the entire oikoumene under Christ.
Therefore the prophet saw in his vision Constantine as an eagle with wings: thus indicating the speed, power, impetus, and sudden flight over the world amid trophies and victories.
They say that when he heard a philosopher claim there are infinite worlds, he sighed bitterly, saying that if there are infinite worlds, he had not yet conquered even one under the true God.
He was exceedingly magnanimous and great-souled, and the entire oikoumene spoke of him. Thus, together with the emperor’s fame, the glory of the nation grew ever greater. For he was called Constantine the Roman—and through him, the Greco-Roman world.
Hence, as all spoke in admiration of him who was Roman yet heir to Hellenic culture, it was natural that everywhere they spoke laudably of what occurred in the Roman realm. For nothing said or done by famous men passes unnoticed.
The Romans under Constantine, therefore, surpassed all previous empires.
Map of the Empire of Constantine the Great, 306–337 AD