Hi,
I'm just surprised that when Diocletion came out with his edict to kill Christians, it was said that nearly 3000 to 4000 Christians were martyered. May be more even. I'm just curious about one thing: Saint Constantine replaced Diocletion after he retired. How comes Saint Constantine managed to escape persecution given that he was a practicing Christian at the same time that (303 AD) Diocletion came up with his idea to kill Christians?
Thanks
Comments
During his predecessor's reign he was in Britain for part of the time - and so out of the way of the persecution, which was sporadic, and bore most heavily on places like Egypt.
In Christ,
John
Also, if persecution happened to all Christians, how comes there were some christians that were not killed in Egypt? How is it they escaped to later become bishops and patriarchs during Saint Constantine's reign?? For example: Saint Athanasious, he was alive during Saint Constantine's era?! right? well, how is it he escaped death from the Edict?
What happened? How is it 4000 Christians could have been martyered, and nearly 80% of them in Egypt (Coptic Orthodox), and some survive?
[quote author=Anglian link=topic=5307.msg70841#msg70841 date=1178901057]
I think you'll find that Constantine did not actually convert until his deathbed, as being a Christian in those days was a pretty onerous thing, and he was not sure he could be Emperor and a Christian because of some of the things that politics would require him to do.
During his predecessor's reign he was in Britain for part of the time - and so out of the way of the persecution, which was sporadic, and bore most heavily on places like Egypt.
In Christ,
John
So, the catholics understandably don't consider him a saint. He excommunicated our beloved Saint Athanasious. Why then do we consider him a saint? I have absolutely NOTHING against him, im just curious.
Also, if persecution happened to all Christians, how comes there were some christians that were not killed in Egypt? How is it they escaped to later become bishops and patriarchs during Saint Constantine's reign?? For example: Saint Athanasious, he was alive during Saint Constantine's era?! right? well, how is it he escaped death from the Edict?
What happened? How is it 4000 Christians could have been martyered, and nearly 80% of them in Egypt (Coptic Orthodox), and some survive?
[quote author=vassilios link=topic=5307.msg70843#msg70843 date=1178901713]
I wonder what minagir has to say?
u better stop with thissss.
some christians ascaped. if they wouldn't of u wouldn't of been a christian now. because if every single christian we killed, the faith would of gone wiyth them. aslo i think he's a saint for finding the cross and for saving the rest of the christians from being martyred
Being a Saint is not the sign of a blameless life - if it were so then there would be no saints, except perhaps the Most Holy Theotokos, since all were born with sin, except for Our Lord, and the Holy Virgin, born like us to sin, never did so.
Constantine did plenty of bad stuff, but it was he who saved the Church from persecution and made Christianity the religion of the Empire - two things for which he has been recognised as a Saint.
The Roman Empire was not like the Nazis, and did not have at its disposal the means to carry out genocide, so the persecutions tended to depend upon the zeal of local governors - which was where Egypt drew the short straw. Britannia, where Constantine was stationed, escaped the persecutions - another good deed by the future Emperor.
Hope that helps, guys.
In Christ,
John