Constantine witnessed the beginnings of Diocletian's "Great Persecution", the most severe persecution of Christians in Roman history. Diocletian ordered the destruction of Christian churches, condemned the scriptures to the flames, and Christians cleansed of the ranks and offices of the Empire. Constantine was there and in his later writings he would attempt to present himself as an opponent of Diocletian on this, but nothing indicates that he opposed it.
Through political intrigue and various shifts he was able to gain the office he is best known for. In his early reign, the coinage of Constantine advertised Mars as his patron. Mars was replaced by Sol Invictus, a god conventionally identified with Apollo, and of course, the proclamation strengthened Constantine's claims to legitimacy and increased his popularity.
Constantine was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337 and ln A.D. 330 Emperor Constantine inaugurated Constantinople as his capital on the site of the Greek city of Byzantium. It was at this time we find the pagan sun worship replacing the true worship of God, and history relates how 'Constantine the Great' and the fact that he, as Roman Emperor, commanded the civil observance of a day the pagans connected to the cult of Sol Invictus. It had nothing to do with Christianity however, it was purely a political move in keeping with the history of the 'Byzantine' changes as to the most advantageous position, to bring pagans and Christians under one church. There is no reference whatsoever in his law either to the fourth commandment or to the resurrection of Christ.
Constantine worshipped all the gods especially Apollo the god of the sun. He held the title Pontifex Maximus which was the title of the high priest of paganism, and shows His form of Christianity was actually a modified version of mystery religion and readily combined paganism with Christianity.
Shortly after he made his proclamation of pagan sun worship replacing the true worship of God, Constantine ordered his wife and eldest son murdered and had a bronze statue of himself set atop a tall column as Apollo, the sun god. Do we see a pattern...
Through political intrigue and various shifts he was able to gain the office he is best known for. In his early reign, the coinage of Constantine advertised Mars as his patron. Mars was replaced by Sol Invictus, a god conventionally identified with Apollo, and of course, the proclamation strengthened Constantine's claims to legitimacy and increased his popularity.
Constantine was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337 and ln A.D. 330 Emperor Constantine inaugurated Constantinople as his capital on the site of the Greek city of Byzantium. It was at this time we find the pagan sun worship replacing the true worship of God, and history relates how 'Constantine the Great' and the fact that he, as Roman Emperor, commanded the civil observance of a day the pagans connected to the cult of Sol Invictus. It had nothing to do with Christianity however, it was purely a political move in keeping with the history of the 'Byzantine' changes as to the most advantageous position, to bring pagans and Christians under one church. There is no reference whatsoever in his law either to the fourth commandment or to the resurrection of Christ.
Constantine worshipped all the gods especially Apollo the god of the sun. He held the title Pontifex Maximus which was the title of the high priest of paganism, and shows His form of Christianity was actually a modified version of mystery religion and readily combined paganism with Christianity.
Shortly after he made his proclamation of pagan sun worship replacing the true worship of God, Constantine ordered his wife and eldest son murdered and had a bronze statue of himself set atop a tall column as Apollo, the sun god. Do we see a pattern...
