Megabit 28 — April 06

Constantine, the King Who Followed the Cross

Today we remember a good king named Constantine. His mother was a kind Christian woman named Helena (we say it HELL-eh-nah), and she loved God dearly. She taught little Constantine to be gentle, to help people, and to care for everyone who needed kindness.

When Constantine grew up, he became a king, wise and fair, and his people loved him because he was kind to them. One day, while he was puzzling hard over how to help some people who were in trouble, he looked up and saw something he could hardly believe. High in the sky, made of shining stars, was a Cross, and beside it words that meant, "With this you will win." It shone brighter than the sun.

That night, an angel of God came to Constantine in a dream and told him to make a sign like the bright Cross he had seen. So Constantine made a golden cross and set it on his crown, and his soldiers made the sign of the Cross too. With God's help, Constantine kept his people safe and brought them home. The whole city welcomed him back with music and singing, and everyone thanked God for the holy Cross.

Soon after, Constantine and all his soldiers were baptized, washed with holy water and welcomed into God's family. Now he was a Christian king who loved God. He opened the prison doors for everyone locked away for believing in Jesus, and he made sure Christians everywhere were treated with kindness.

Constantine built a big, beautiful church for God and named it Hagia Sophia (say HA-gee-ah So-FEE-ah), which means "Holy Wisdom." He also helped gather 318 church leaders together so they could write good and true rules to guide all of God's people.

Then he sent his mother Helena far away to the city of Jerusalem on a special errand: to find the wood of the true Cross of Jesus. And she found it. That is why we thank Helena too, because she showed everyone the sign of Jesus rising from the dead.

When Constantine grew old, God called him home to heaven, and the people sang prayers and joyful hymns for him. We remember Constantine as the king who built churches, and Helena as the mother who showed the world the holy Cross.

With this you will win.— the words on the shining Cross

Salutation to Constantine, the builder of churches; and to Helena, who showed the memorial of the Resurrection.— the Synaxarium