Constantine Adopted the Sign of the Cross
Constantine, the first emperor to legitimize Christianity.
ONE OF THE MOST significant battles in world history took place on this day, 28 October 312 after Constantine had a vision. His father Constantius had been co-emperor of the Western Roman empire. Upon his death, his troops proclaimed thirty-two year-old Constantine emperor. However, the other co-emperor, Maxentius, was determined to hold Italy and Africa for himself. In order to claim the empire, Constantine would have to defeat Maxentius.
Church historian Eusebius recorded Constantine’s account of the vision. Eusebius admitted it would be hard to believe if Constantine had not sworn to its truth with an oath: “Constantine was praying to his father’s [pagan] god, beseeching him to tell him who he was and imploring him to stretch out his right hand to help him in his present difficulties. While he was fervently praying, an incredible sign appeared to him from heaven.... He said that about noon, when the day was already beginning to decline, he saw with his own eyes the trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, and an inscription that said ‘Conquer by This’ attached to it. Seeing this, he and his army, which . . . witnessed the miracle, were struck with amazement.”
Pondering the meaning of this sign, Constantine fell asleep. He claimed Christ appeared to him in a dream and commanded him to make a likeness of the sign which he had seen in the heavens and use it as a safeguard in his encounters with his enemies. Next day, Constantine ordered his soldiers to decorate their shields with the sign of the cross and advance on Rome. At that point, Maxentius made a big mistake. He came out of Rome’s walls where he could have withstood Constantine indefinitely. He ordered the Milvian Bridge destroyed so Constantine could not use it and constructed a pontoon bridge to support his own troops. He then met Constantine on the outer bank of the Tiber. Constantine drove Maxentius back to the river bank, where his men rushed the pontoon bridge to escape, causing it to collapse. Maxentius drowned.
The victorious Constantine did not neglect to honor the Christian God. He ended official Roman persecution of Christians, built churches, elevated bishops, and presided over the first church council since the days of the apostles. The emperor’s adherence to Christianity was mixed, however. His coins depicted him with the god Sol Invictus, and he issued a proclamation making Sunday the Roman day of rest. “On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed.” Nonetheless, Constantine was baptized on his deathbed, the first Roman emperor to embrace Christianity.
—Dan Graves
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The Trial and Testimony of the Early Church shows why early Christians experienced relief when Constantine became emperor. Watch at RedeemTV.
(The Trial and Testimony of the Early Church can be purchased at Vision Video)
For a different take on Constantine's conversion, read "The Emperor's New Religion" in Christian History #57, Converting the Empire
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