He who face Cross shining in the sky more than the sun you saw the victory sign Lord well you discovered that armed out all enemies you’ve overcome, now and as those who bow before the icon your Holy king Constantine gives us, along with your good mother, Empress Helena, help those who sing to you: Rejoice, parents of Christians. “
These words are from the first condakion of Akathist to Saints Constantine and Helen. As is generally known, life and exemplary their trouble, we thought to evoke some of the most significant facts, walking thread Akatistos, which we urge you to read it, so that delay prayer and as sign of honor and appreciation for the saints remembered.
For this Akathist, wonderful blending of hymns and liturgical utterances, appointed in condakions and ikoses, expressed in poetic form, full of pious feeling, acts for which the Church has appointed special day of remembrance each year.
Choose therefore some excerpts, which we will briefly explain, especially from historically using inter writing Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, living also in the IV century, “Life of Constantine the Great” ( PSB, vol. 14, trans. R. Alexandrescu, Bucharest, 1991, p. 63-188)
Rejoice, the one called father by Christians …
By the year 313, when Emperor Constantine issued an edict of freedom, Christians were cruelly persecuted by pagan emperors, often being forced to hide underground in catacombs, in order to pray. Sometimes they were discovered there and persecutors in their inhumanity, sealing the inlet with sand, Christians dying from asphyxiation. Others were burned alive by burning cliques in attending Mass.
Also, using persecutors most diabolical tortures to frighten them: they were anointed with pitch, placed on poles, they were given fire burning like torches to light the way to where they had to pass her mighty day; Christians were sometimes dressed in banter with sheepskins and thrown into arenas where it gave way to the beasts devour them. And also many other horrific forms of persecution.
Therefore, rightly freedom when they received when they were given permission to build churches, even with help from Constantine, Christians saw him as a father, as it expresses itself beautifully Acatistul.
Rejoice, because you overcame on Maxentius, by the power of the Precious Cross …
Who does not know the work of God by which Emperor Constantine overcame Maxentius, who lived in Rome wantonness, dealing with witchcraft and impoverishing their subjects to starvation?
Failing this bastard suffer barbarities, Constantin was asked the Lord to help him overcome it. Further Eusebius let him speak: “How uplifting king sat earnest prayer and shown signs altogether matchless from God; whose sign – if we have learned from someone else’s mouth – maybe we would be very easy to give credence; but since the king himself dăstăinuit us new power oath, who, I wonder, would the doubt? … So at about noon o’clock, when the day began to decline, he saw with his eyes even the sky , guarding over the sun sign of victory confessor of a cross made of light and with it, he could make out the words: “En you to nika” ( “in order that you will win”) …
Rejoice, that the Lord Jesus in a dream shown himself you …
Words that same Eusebius has the following explanation: “This apparition (in the sky) disconcerted him, unable to comprehend it and talc. Or, still pondering it and deepening it he thought, sleeping him, he was shown the Christ of God saw the sign above the sky … “.
The result is known: the king commanded to be sewn sign of the Cross on flags and clothing soldiers, overcoming it on Maxentius and entering triumphant in Rome where, says Eusebius “erected a monument in the heart of triumph …”.
And in his own statues ordered to sit a lance long in the face of the cross and pedestal to dig following inscription in Latin: “By this sign savior – the true test of manhood – I delivered your city from the yoke of the tyrant , restoring your freedom; and rescued you, I played both the Senate and the Roman people the importance and brilliance “.
Rejoice that the first council of the 318 holy fathers with your command gathered in Nicea …
Words reminiscent of the Ecumenical Council of 325, which was condemned Arius the heretic, and Jesus Christ was confessed as true God and true man, making up the first part of the creed as we speak and we each Mass.
Rejoice, that God honor you with the Apostles …
Confession by which the Church recognizes Saint height facts emperor, considered – rightly – in the string apostles.
The Akathist contains hymns and praise for his holy mother, pious Elena, who had a great influence on her son, but also on many pagans who searched the example of her wonderful, embraced Christianity, as it expresses itself a verse from Oikos 3rd century: “Hail the heathen, looking at you, Christians have done …”.
Rejoice, that you built eighteen Churches in Jerusalem …
In this verse is reminiscent of the trip to the queen to the holy places, that made excavations on Calvary discovered in the year 327, Holy Cross that was crucified Lord, in that place built a beautiful church, along with other 17 holy land.
Rejoice, because always you had mercy for the poor …
Empress piety was ever accompanied by acts of charity, as historian Eusebius assures us: “Most show their generosity to the poor naked and helpless before: compared by some with gifts of money; others dividing them abundantly clothes to cover the body. How many some of them escaped from prison; rained persecution many oppressed; Finally, by some people he sent word to return from exile … “.
Really deserved to go see how this extraordinary woman, dressed simple and modest among the people crowded around her, vădindu and devotion to God through all sorts of facts well-pleasing to him. “
These evocations of Prayer, supplemented by historical evidence, are only glimpses of the many facts that saints honored us today they have committed, facts inscribed in large letters golden book of Christianity.
Saints Constantine and Helen are very loved and our people Romanian, one of the wide spread evidence of their name, name of the most beautiful significance.
Thus, Constantine is based on the adjective ‘Constans’ = constant, firm, steadfast, and Helen of gr. Greek = torch, torch, sunshine (Tatiana Petrache, encyclopedic dictionary of names of Baptism, “Anastasia”, Bucharest, 1998).
We urge you to take the time to read through the Akathist of the saints we commemorate, to sweeten the spiritual beauty of the words composing it, with freshening the brightest memory of the facts described in his lyrics.
The Akathist ends with a prayer that count now entirely appropriate to conclude our humble eulogy: “Saints Constantine and Elena, who’re more honest than all the kings elect of God, tears falling before you please: give us comfort, us who are in trouble; you are intercessors before Trinity and can help us nine. Hear us too far, driven in our sorrows and needs that come over us in this temporal life and heal our infirmities, our diseases healed, quench our wickedness, banished our enemies seen and unseen. Give us new that live in peace and tranquility; Help us with your holy prayers. Salvation of our souls for mercy do with us now, with fear and humiliation when we speak to you thus: Rejoice, parents of Christians. ” Amen.
Pr. Vasile Gordon