Elena's name day according to the church calendar. How to congratulate relatives on the day of Saints Helena and Konstantin Blessed Prince Konstantin

1. Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena are not husband and wife, but son and mother.
2. Saint Constantine was baptized at the very end of his life.

In the 4th century, the custom was widespread to postpone the celebration of the sacrament for an indefinite time, in the hope that with the help of baptism, accepted at the end of life, to receive the remission of all sins. Emperor Constantine, like many of his contemporaries, followed this custom.

At the beginning of 337, he went to Helenopolis to take baths. But, feeling worse, he ordered to be transported to Nicomedia, and in this city he was baptized on his deathbed. Before his death, having gathered the bishops, the emperor admitted that he dreamed of being baptized in the waters of the Jordan, but, by the will of God, he accepts it here.

3. Empress Elena was of a simple family.

According to modern historians, Elena helped her father at the horse station, poured wine for travelers who were waiting for harnessing and shifting horses, or simply worked as a servant in a tavern. There, apparently, she met Constantius Chlorus, under Maximian Herculius, who became Caesar of the West of the Roman Empire. In the early 270s, she became his wife.

4. The Roman Catholic Church did not include the name of Emperor Constantine in the calendar, but the Western bishops relied on his authority when trying to gain supreme power in the Church and in Europe in general.

The basis for such claims was "Konstantin's gift" - a forged donation act of Constantine the Great to Pope Sylvester.

The “letter” says that Constantine the Great, when he was baptized by Pope Sylvester and healed from leprosy, which he had previously been stricken with, presented the pope with signs of imperial dignity, the Lateran Palace, the city of Rome, Italy and all Western countries. He moved his residence to the eastern countries on the grounds that the head of the empire is not befitting to live where the head of religion resides; finally, the Pope of Rome was given headship over the four sees of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Constantinople, as well as over all the Christian churches throughout the universe.

The fact of the forgery was proved by the Italian humanist Lorenzo della Valla in his essay On the Gift of Constantine (1440), published in 1517 by Ulrich von Hutten. In Rome, this document was completely abandoned only in the 19th century.

5. Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity, but did not make it the state religion.

In 313, Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, proclaiming religious tolerance in the territory of the Roman Empire. The direct text of the edict has not come down to us, but it is quoted by Lactantius in his work On the Death of the Persecutors.

In accordance with this edict, all religions were equalized in rights, thus, traditional Roman paganism lost its role as an official religion. The edict specifically singles out Christians and provides for the return to Christians and Christian communities of all property that was taken from them during the persecution.

The edict also provides compensation from the treasury to those who have come into possession of property formerly owned by Christians and have been forced to return that property to the former owners.

The opinion of a number of scientists that the Edict of Milan proclaimed Christianity the only religion of the empire does not find, according to the point of view of other researchers, confirmation both in the text of the edict and in the circumstances of its compilation.

6. The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross appeared in the church calendar thanks to the work of Saints Constantine and Helena.

In 326, at the age of 80, Empress Elena went to the Holy Land in order to find and visit the places consecrated by the main events of the Savior's life. She undertook excavations at Golgotha, where, having dug out a cave in which, according to legend, Jesus Christ was buried, she found the Life-Giving Cross.

The Exaltation is the only holiday that began simultaneously with the event to which it is dedicated. The First Exaltation was celebrated at the very acquisition of the Cross in the Jerusalem Church, that is, in the 4th century. And the fact that this holiday was soon (in 335) connected with the consecration of the magnificent, built by Constantine the Great on the site of the very acquisition of the Cross, the Church of the Resurrection, made this holiday one of the most solemn of the year.

7. A number of churches were built in the Holy Land thanks to Empress Elena.

The earliest historians (Socrates Scholastic, Eusebius Pamphilus) report that during her stay in the Holy Land, Elena founded three churches on the sites of the gospel events.

• on Golgotha ​​- the Church of the Holy Sepulcher;
• in Bethlehem - the Basilica of the Nativity of Christ;
• on the Mount of Olives - a church over the site of the Ascension of Christ;

The Life of St. Helena, written later, in the 7th century, contains a more extensive list of buildings, which, in addition to those already listed, includes:

• in Gethsemane - the Church of the Holy Family;
• in Bethany - a church over the tomb of Lazarus;
• in Hebron - a church near the oak of Mamre, where God appeared to Abraham;
• at Lake Tiberias - the Temple of the Twelve Apostles;
• on the site of the ascension of Elijah - a temple in the name of this prophet;
• on Mount Tabor - a temple in the name of Jesus Christ and the apostles Peter, James and John;
• at the foot of Mount Sinai, near the Burning Bush - a church dedicated to the Mother of God, and a tower for monks.

8. The city of Constantinople (now Istanbul) was named after Saint Constantine, who moved the capital of the Roman Empire there.

Renouncing paganism, Constantine did not leave ancient Rome, the former center of a pagan state, as the capital of the empire, but moved his capital to the east, to the city of Byzantium, which was renamed Constantinople.

9. One of the oldest Bulgarian resorts on the Black Sea coast bears the name of Saints Constantine and Helena. It is located 6 kilometers northeast of the city of Varna.

In addition to the usual entertainment centers, hotels and sports facilities, there is a chapel on the territory of the complex, which was once part of a monastery built in honor of Emperor Constantine and his mother, Empress Helena. Even before the Bulgarians, this coast was inhabited by the Greeks. The entire nearby area was a colony of the Byzantine Empire and was called Odessos.

10. Saint Helena, to which Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled, is also named after the mother of Saint Constantine. It was discovered by the Portuguese navigator João da Nova while traveling home from India on May 21, 1502, the feast day of this saint.

The Portuguese found the island uninhabited, it had plenty of fresh water and timber. The sailors brought in domestic animals (mainly goats), fruit trees, vegetables, built a church and a couple of houses, but they did not establish a permanent settlement. Since its discovery, the island has become critical for ships returning cargo from Asia to Europe. In 1815, Saint Helena became the place of exile for Napoleon Bonaparte, who died there in 1821.

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The memory of the ruler of the Roman Empire Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine and his mother Empress Helena Orthodox Church commemorates June 3 every year. Being raised by a Christian mother and a father who does not allow persecution of adherents of the Christian religion, Konstantin from childhood absorbed a special respect for the faith. Having become the ruler, he directed all his efforts so that the freedom of confession of faith in Christ was proclaimed in all countries subject to him.

Queen Helena, mother of Constantine, also committed great multitude good deeds for the Church, she built churches and, at the insistence of her son, even brought from Jerusalem the same Life-Giving Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified, for which she was also awarded the title Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Show congratulations

Elena gave birth to a son
Saint Constantine.
I remember this day forever
Orthodox person.
emperor and queen
They began to help people.
And the problems of the state
Decide in agreement.
For their great merits
Elena and Constantine became saints,
And this day was named after them,
For everyone in the world to know
That today we congratulate not Zhora and not Gena,
And the birthdays of Konstantin and Elena.

Constantine the Great! And Saint Elena
In honor of the great faces, joyful hearts!
On this day, misfortune will be in the ashes of perishable,
You need to pray in the church with Christ!

Well, since the name day, let the souls laugh,
If sadness is in the heart, it will perish forever!
In honor of Saints Helena, Saint Constantine,
May you live happily ever after!

On the day of memory of Elena, Konstantin,
Whose holiness has long been recognized,
About whom the ancient epics were composed,
Who is destined to glorify God

The Church will celebrate the gloriously liturgy,
Thus paying tribute to Heaven.
Things today are only good,
Cursing and cursing are excluded.

Thank you, glorious emperor, for loving Christians,
For the fact that you have established our main faith in all of Rome,
Thanks to mother Elena for finding the life-giving cross,
For the fact that she resurrected churches, she protected the Christian world!
Keep the faith, people! All my life, to the very gray hairs,
And we will not forget you, saints - Elena - mother and Konstantin!

Few people know Elena and Konstantin,
Their pedigree, titles and ranks.
No one heard about the life of the queen and son,
So you better read this story.

Holy Empress Elena was once a Christian,
And her son ruled the Roman Empire for more than a year.
Forgetting about paganism and adopting Christianity,
Constantine began to appreciate the Byzantine people.

And remembering how Christ was crucified on Golgotha,
Konstantin tried with all his might to find the cross.
Honoring Jesus, sent Queen Helen
To Jerusalem to bring faith to hearts!

He devoted his whole life to the acceptance of faith,
He gave his whole soul to Christianity, loving it.
Saint Constantine, without feeling and measure
He created the unity of you and me.

The unity of people who accept the faith,
Alone he couldn't get through hell
Only my mother gave support all the time.
Not everyone is happy to bow to fate.

Saint Helena gave support,
She was a Christian and shared warmth.
She raised her child right.
May he become a holy king in the future!

God bless mother and son.
Faith can do a lot...
Konstantin proved it
And his mother, blessed Elena.

Now they are numbered among the saints,
Their deeds are pure, pleasing to God
And they can calm down in grief days,
Leading the right path in life.

Emperor Constantine once lived in Rome,
He defended Christian doctrine,
Majestic was, invincible,
He believed in God and called on Jesus.

The queen mother named Helena,
Was sent to Jerusalem
For believers of new generations
I found the very cross where God was crucified.

They did not recognize paganism,
And the tomb of the Lord was found by them,
The living God was only invoked,
May He live in the hearts of believers.

Equal-to-the-Apostles Helena, Constantine.
Mother and son were righteous.
holy great emperor
Augustus proclaimed his mother.

He supported the Church in every possible way,
From the references of Christians he returned.
And first of all, the emperor
He declared the freedom of the Christian faith.

He sent the Queen Mother
Look for the life-giving cross.
And miraculously she found
Cross for the crucifixion of Christ.

They fought for what they believed in.
Son - Constantine - he saved Christians
From certain death at that time of persecution,
Not afraid of the threats of neighboring countries.

Elena - mother - having converted
Didn't back down on a good path.
She carried her cross, hard and humbly,
May God give everyone their own path.

When the Roman Emperor
Praise forbade Christ,
And pagan depravity
Filled my mouth
Helena the Christian
A beautiful son was born -
Christian intercessor bright
Emperor Constantine.
Constantine and Elena
We honor saints
And always in prayer
We commemorate their deeds.

Equal-to-the-Apostles, Constantine and his mother Helena.
During their lifetime, great deeds were accomplished:
Freed Christianity from pagan captivity,
And three hundred years of persecution ended.
Elena raised Constantine in deep faith in Christ,
Under him, the Symbol of Faith is supplemented with the “one-substantial”,
And the acquisition happened of the Life-Giving Cross!
And the city of Constantinople was revealed,
Like Rome second, and like a foundation
Religions of free people believing in Christ,
For repentance on the eve of the coming of the second!

On the day of Helena, Constantine
We want to wish you
Life is bright so that the picture
Turned back time.

So that you can easily
Don't get old, get younger
And with your warmth of heart
For many years to warm us all.

On June 3, Christians celebrate the Day of Saints Constantine and Helena. Elena, the wife of the Roman emperor, managed to raise her son Constantine in the spirit of faith in Christ, convincing her husband not to persecute believers. Her son, having become the ruler, made Christianity official. A selection of congratulations will help to congratulate everyone on this important day.

The era of the formation of the Christian faith is replete with difficulties. Many saints went through terrible trials, tortures, persecutions and executions. And yet people did not renounce their views.

In pagan Rome there were people who, in spite of all difficulties, adhered to the postulates of the Christian faith. The emperor's wife Helen was a Christian and brought up the same views in her son Constantine.

The woman made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, brought back the cross on which Christ was crucified at one time. Currently, Saints Helena and Constantine are being turned to for support and strengthening of the spirit in difficult life situations.

To congratulate loved ones on the Day of Saints Helena and Constantine, you can use a ready-made selection of poems.

Happy Saints Helena and Constantine
I hasten to congratulate you, friends.
So that life does not seem like a routine,
man needs a family

So that the heart does not stale inside,
so that each of us is kinder,
You need to think about the life of Elena and Konstantin,
think and hurry

After all, their path, their thorny paths
involuntarily suggest,
What is not without reason, not in vain for us
God has given life.

On the Day of Constantine and Helena
May all be blessed.
On faith, good deeds,
Help the Lord's hand!

Who glorifies Christianity
The Lord lets him into his house,
And the world becomes kinder
The soul is wiser and brighter!

May faith reign forever
In the name of the works of the saints and the Lord Christ!

Constantine and Elena glorified the faith,
Help people become brighter!
For souls to remain unchanged
God bless you always!

Remember good deeds
Their holy lives, names,
Better to become and cleaner we promise
Praise the Lord Jesus!

Ready-made congratulations on the Day of Saints Helena and Constantine

Today is not only a Christian holiday. Angel Day is celebrated by everyone who is called Elena or Konstantin. The name Elena has Greek roots. In translation, it means "chosen" or "light."

Konstantin is a name that is of Russian and Latin origin. It translates as "permanent".

Ready-made poems will help to congratulate friends and family on Angel Day or the Day of Saints Elena and Constantine. They will demonstrate your indifference.

Happy Saints Helena, Constantine,
Saints - beautiful women, men.
Let this day and the rest
There will be strength to overcome all troubles.

Do not know any difficult life barriers,
Do not know longing, sadness, sadness and loss,
Let the spring of life beat with a key,
Let every new moment be beautiful.

May happiness always be
On the day of the angel today, Lena,
Let luck await you
And all good things will come!

I want to find happiness
And you can't change your life
To live whole and sensibly,
And only sincere love!

Today we praise Constantine,
And mother - beautiful Elena.
Their faith, strength, kindness
Already centuries - imperishable.

Let the saints help you
When there is no other hope.
Let me keep you from sorrow,
From pain, sorrows and troubles.

*** Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine (337) and his mother Queen Helena (327). ** Blessed Prince Konstantin (Yaroslav) (1129) and his sons Michael and Theodore (XII), Miracle Workers of Murom. Venerable Cassian the Greek, Wonderworker of Uglich (1504). *** Icons of the Mother of God of Vladimir (a holiday established in memory of the salvation of Moscow from the invasion of the Crimean Khan Makhmet Giray in 1521).
Saint Cyril, Bishop of Rostov (1262). Venerable Martyr Agapit of Markushevsky (1584). Blessed Andrei Simbirsky (1841). Honored lists from the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God: Vladimirskaya-Rostovskaya (XII), Pskov-Pecherskaya "Tenderness" (1524), Syrkovskaya (1548), Zaonikievskaya (1588), Krasnogorskaya or Montenegrinskaya (1603), Oranskaya (1634), Florishchevskaya (XVII ), Tupichevskaya-Rostovskaya.

Day Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine and his mother Queen Helena

The Holy Emperor Constantine (306-337), who received from the Church the name Equal-to-the-Apostles, and in world history was called the Great, was the son of Caesar Constantius Chlorus, who ruled over the countries of Gaul and Britain.
The vast Roman Empire was at that time divided into Western and Eastern, headed by two independent emperors who had co-rulers, one of whom in the Western half was the father of Emperor Constantine.
Holy Empress Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, was a Christian. The future ruler of the entire Roman Empire - Constantine - was brought up in respect for the Christian religion. His father did not persecute Christians in the countries he ruled, while in the rest of the Roman Empire, Christians were subjected to severe persecution by the emperors Diocletian (284-305), his co-ruler Maximian Galerius (305-311) - in the East and the emperor Maximian Hercules (284-305) - in the West.
After the death of Constantius Chlorus, his son Constantine in 306 was proclaimed Emperor of Gaul and Britain by the troops. The first task of the new emperor was to proclaim in the countries subject to him the freedom of confession of the Christian faith. The fanatic of paganism Maximian Galerius in the East and the cruel tyrant Maxentius in the West hated Emperor Constantine and plotted to depose and kill him, but Constantine warned them and in a series of wars, with the help of God, defeated all his opponents. He prayed to God to give him a sign that would inspire his army to fight bravely, and the Lord showed him in heaven the shining sign of the Cross with the inscription "By this win."
Having become the sovereign ruler of the Western part of the Roman Empire, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan on religious tolerance in 313, and in 323, when he reigned as the only emperor over the entire Roman Empire, he extended the Edict of Milan to the entire eastern part of the empire. After three hundred years of persecution, for the first time, Christians were able to openly confess their faith in Christ.
Having renounced paganism, the emperor did not leave ancient Rome, which was the center of a pagan state, as the capital of the empire, but moved his capital to the east, to the city of Byzantium, which was renamed Constantinople. Constantine was deeply convinced that only the Christian religion could unite the huge, heterogeneous Roman Empire. He supported the Church in every possible way, returned Christian confessors from exile, built churches, and took care of the clergy.
Deeply honoring the Cross of the Lord, the emperor wished to find the very Life-Giving Cross on which our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. For this purpose, he sent his mother, the holy Empress Helen, to Jerusalem, giving her great powers and material means. Together with the Jerusalem Patriarch Macarius, Saint Helen began to search, and by the Providence of God the Life-Giving Cross was miraculously found in the year 326.
While in Palestine, the holy empress did a lot for the benefit of the Church. She ordered to vacate all places associated with earthly life Lord and His Most Pure Mother, from all traces of paganism, ordered to erect Christian churches in these memorable places. Above the cave of the Holy Sepulcher, Emperor Constantine himself ordered the construction of a magnificent temple to the glory of the Resurrection of Christ. Saint Helena gave the Life-Giving Cross to the Patriarch for safekeeping, and she took part of the Cross with her to present to the emperor. Having distributed generous alms in Jerusalem and arranged meals for the poor, during which she herself served, the holy Empress Helena returned to Constantinople, where she soon died in the year 327.
For her great services to the Church and her labors in obtaining the Life-Giving Cross, Empress Elena is called the Equal-to-the-Apostles.
The peaceful existence of the Christian Church was disturbed by the moods and strife that arose within the Church from the heresies that appeared. Even at the beginning of the activity of Emperor Constantine in the West, the heresy of the Donatists and Novatians arose, demanding a repetition of baptism over Christians who had fallen away during the persecution. This heresy, rejected by two local councils, was finally condemned by the Council of Milan in 316.
One can be surprised at the deep ecclesiastical consciousness and feeling of Saint Constantine, who singled out the definition of "Consubstantial" heard by him in the debate of the Council, and proposed that this definition be included in the Creed.
After the Council of Nicaea, Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine continued his active work in favor of the Church. At the end of his life, he received holy baptism, preparing for it with his whole life. Saint Constantine died on the day of Pentecost in the year 337, and was buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles, in a tomb he had prepared beforehand.

Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine

Holy Tsar Constantine is called equal to the apostles because, like the apostles, he did a great deal for the Christian Church. Before him, the Christian faith was persecuted and Christians were persecuted and punished, but he made it dominant in the Roman Empire. His parents were Constantius Chlorus, who ruled the western regions of the Roman Empire in Spain, Gaul and Britain and respected Christians for their good qualities, and Elena. In 306, after the death of his father, Constantine ascended the throne and, like his father, did not persecute Christians. At the same time, Maxentius, an evil and greedy man, reigned in Rome. Under his rule, it was hard not only for Christians, but also for pagans, so the Romans turned to Constantine with a request to free them from the tyrant. Constantine went against Maxentius; and so, when he was approaching Rome, suddenly, in the middle of the day, he and his army saw in heaven a cross of stars with the inscription: "Conquer by this." The next night, the Lord appeared to Constantine in a vision and ordered to make a banner like a cross and depict the cross on the weapons, shields and helmets of the soldiers. Constantine did so and defeated the enemy, in spite of his strong army; fleeing, the tyrant drowned in the Tiber River. Then Constantine accepted Christianity, although he had not yet been baptized; he was baptized shortly before his death. In the eastern regions of the Roman Empire, Licinius reigned, who persecuted Christians. Constantine declared war on him and, having defeated him, became the sole ruler of the entire Roman Empire, and from that time on the Christian faith became dominant in the empire. The Christians were given back their rights, their positions, privileges and estates taken away by the persecutors. All those condemned to imprisonment for disrespecting idols were released. Temples were erected everywhere, and idol temples were destroyed. Constantine chose for himself a new capital instead of Rome, the former capital of paganism, a city near the Black Sea, Byzantium, and called it New Rome, Constantinople (read May 11). He adorned Constantinople with many holy temples and charitable houses. Constantine restored Jerusalem and erected here, on the site of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, a magnificent temple. During the reign of Constantine, the heresy of Arius appeared and the schism of Meletius. He convened in Nicaea I Ecumenical Council where heresy and schism were condemned, and the first half of the Creed was drawn up. Constantine died in 337 at the age of 65: his body was buried in Constantinople in the Church of the Holy Apostles he created.

Queen Elena

The Holy Empress Helena was the companion of her son Constantine in matters for the benefit of the Christian religion, therefore she is also called Equal-to-the-Apostles. Upon the conversion of her son, she was not slow to accept Christianity. In 326, already at an advanced age, she set off to travel around the Holy Land. There she destroyed the idol temples built on the places consecrated by Christ, having built Christian churches instead, opened many relics of various saints, found the Holy Life-Giving Cross of Christ and showed many different graces. Returning to her son, she brought with her a part of the wood of the Cross of the Lord and the holy nails of the crucifixion. Saint Helena died in 327, 80 years old. Particles of the relics of St. Constantine and Helena are kept on Mount Athos in the Intercession Cathedral of the St. Panteleimon Monastery and in Kiev, in the Lavra. Hand of St. Helena is kept in Rome in the Lateran Cathedral, and her relics in the Church of the Mother of God on the Capitoline Hill.

Blessed Prince Konstantin

St. Prince Konstantin was the youngest son of Grand Duke Svyatoslav Yaroslavich and reigned in Murom. He himself begged from his father this city, which was among the Finns, who were rude and stubborn pagans, in order to introduce Christianity there. He arrived in Murom in 1096. His family, clergy, army and servants went with him. Approaching the city, the prince sent his son Mikhail ahead to convince the people of Murom to accept him without resistance; but the people of Murom killed Mikhail and began to prepare for battle. St. Constantine approached the city with an army. The people of Murom resigned themselves, agreed to accept the prince, but on the condition that they were not forced to accept the Christian faith. Constantine entered the city and immediately began his apostolic work: he built the Church of the Annunciation on the site of the burial of the body of his murdered son, Prince Michael, and then the Church of Sts. Boris and Gleb. The clergy, at the behest of the prince, began preaching, and he himself often called the elders of the city to him and ardently urged them to accept the Christian faith. The most stubborn of the pagans with an armed crowd once approached the house of the prince, but he, after praying with his retinue, went out to the crowd with the icon of the Virgin. The rebels were amazed and wished to be baptized. Baptism was performed solemnly on the Oka River. The prince gave gifts to the baptized. So laboring for the spread and establishment of the Christian faith, St. Constantine died in 1129. His body was laid in the Church of the Annunciation, next to his sons, Michael and Theodore. Miracles were performed at the tomb of the holy princes, and their relics turned out to be incorrupt.

Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

The Vladimir icon of the Mother of God, according to legend, was written by the Evangelist Luke on a board from the table at which the Holy Family ate. The icon was brought to Russia from Byzantium at the beginning of the 12th century as a gift to Yuri Dolgoruky from the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke Chrysoverha. The icon was placed in the nunnery of Vyshgorod, not far from Kiev, and the rumor about its miraculous works reached the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, who decided to transport the icon to the north. Passing Vladimir, the horses carrying the miraculous icon stood up and could not move. Replacing the horses with new ones also did not help. The prince interpreted this sign as the desire of the Mother of God to stay in Vladimir, where in two years the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin was built.
In 1395, when Tamerlane moved his hordes to Moscow, the holy icon was brought from Vladimir. For ten days they carried the icon in their arms to Moscow. The place where the “meeting” of the icon by the Grand Duke, metropolitans and bishops took place is still called Sretenka, and the Sretensky Monastery was founded there. Tamerlane suddenly turned his troops back from under Yelets, "fled, driven by the power of the Blessed Virgin." The icon was never returned to Vladimir, leaving it in Moscow.
In 1451, the army of the Nogai Khan approached Moscow with Prince Mazovsha. The Tatars set fire to the Moscow suburbs, but Moscow was never captured. Saint Jonah during the fire made religious processions along the walls of the city. Warriors and militias fought with the enemy until night. The small army of the Grand Duke at that time was too far away to help the besieged. The chronicles tell that the next morning there were no enemies at the walls of Moscow. They heard an unusual noise, decided that it was the Grand Duke with a huge army and retreated. The prince himself, after the departure of the Tatars, wept in front of the Vladimir icon.
The third intercession of the Mother of God for Russia was in 1480. Remember the "great stand on the Ugra" known from school history lessons: Ivan III refused to pay tribute to the horde and regiments of Khan Akhmat were sent to Russia. The meeting with the Russian army took place near the Ugra River: the troops stood on different banks and waited for a reason to attack. In the front ranks of the Russian troops they kept the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. There were skirmishes, even small battles, but the troops did not move, in front of each other. The Russian army moved away from the river, giving the Horde regiments the opportunity to start crossing. But the Horde regiments also retreated. The Russian soldiers stopped, while the Tatar ones continued to retreat and suddenly rushed away without looking back.
Before this glorious icon, all the most important state acts of Russia were performed: the oath of allegiance to the Motherland, prayers before military campaigns, the election of the All-Russian Patriarchs.
The feast in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God takes place three times a year in gratitude for the threefold deliverance of our Fatherland from enemies with Her help: May 21, June 23 and August 26 (O.S.).
The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God belongs to the iconographic type of Glycophyllus (Sweetly Kissing), the Infant leaned his cheek against the cheek of the Mother. The icon conveys the full tenderness of the communication between the Mother and the Child. Mary foresees the suffering of the Son in His earthly journey. Icons of this type received in Russia the name "Tenderness" (in Greek, Eleusa). A distinctive feature of this image is that the left leg of the Infant Jesus is bent in such a way that the sole of the foot is visible.
The icon used to stand in the Assumption Cathedral on the left side of the royal gates of the Riz on an icon made of pure gold with precious stones, it was estimated at about 200,000 gold rubles (confiscated by the Bolsheviks). The icon was for a long time in the hall of ancient Russian art of the Tretyakov Gallery, now it is in the Church of Nikon in Stolpakh, which is behind the Tretyakov Gallery, where prayers are performed in front of it. On the great patronal feasts, the shrine is transferred to the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin to participate in the most solemn prayer services.

Where do we usually get information about the lives of the saints? Of course, from information sources of a church, theological nature. These can be Orthodox magazines, newspapers, books, specific websites and educational resources on the Internet, as well as Christian films and programs. However, in the event that the ascetic was at the same time a statesman and/or a commander who glorified the country, the main milestones of his earthly existence and personality characteristics are certainly contained in historical materials. This applies, for example, to Prince Vladimir, who baptized Russia, Princess Olga, Prince Dimitry Donskoy. The rulers of Rome also fell into the host of saints: Tsar Constantine and his mother, Empress Helen. The Day of Remembrance of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena was established by the church on June 3.

Information about Konstantin

Saint Constantine was born in the III century AD, more specifically - in the year 274. The chosen one of God had a noble origin, since he was born in the family of Constantius Chlorus, co-ruler of the Roman Empire, and his wife, Empress Helen. The father of the future saint owned two areas of great power: Gaul and Britain. Officially, this family was considered pagan, but in fact the only son of Caesar Constantius Chlorus and Helena grew up a true Christian, brought up by his parents in an atmosphere of kindness and love for God. Unlike other co-rulers of the Roman Empire, Diocletian, Maximian Hercules and Maximian Galerius, the father of Saint Constantine did not persecute Christians in the estates entrusted to him.

The future ruler of Rome was distinguished by numerous virtues, among which a calm disposition and modesty stood out in particular. Outwardly, Saint Constantine also won over those around him, because he was tall, physically developed, strong and handsome. This is evidenced by the description of the appearance of the emperor, found in historical sources and compiled on the basis of archaeological data. The amazing combination of outstanding spiritual, personal and physical qualities of the chosen one of God became the subject of black envy and malice of the courtiers during the years of the reign of Saint Rome. Caesar Galerius became the sworn enemy of Constantine for this reason.

The years of the saint's youth were not spent in his father's house. The youth was taken hostage and kept at the court of the tyrant Diocletian in Nicomedia. He was treated well, but for the most part he was deprived of communication with the saint's family. Thus, the co-ruler Constantius Chlorus wanted to secure the loyalty of his father Constantine.

Information about Elena

What is known about the personality of the ruler Helena? Enough to form a complete picture of this woman. Saint Helena did not belong to a noble family, like her husband: the chosen one of God was born in the family of the owner of the hotel. The future queen got married contrary to the canons of that time, not by calculation and not by agreement, but by mutual love. With her husband, Caesar Constantius Chlorus, Elena lived in a happy marriage for 18 years. And after the union collapsed overnight: the queen's husband received from the emperor Diocletian the appointment to become the ruler of three regions at once: Gaul, Britain and Spain. At the same time, the tyrant put forward a demand to Constance Chlorus for a divorce from Helen and the marriage of the co-ruler to his stepdaughter Theodora. Then Constantine, by the will of the emperor Diocletian, went to Nicomedia.

Queen Elena at that time was a little over forty years old. Finding herself in such a difficult situation, a young woman focused all her love on her son - historians are sure that she never saw her husband again. Saint Helena found shelter near the area where Constantine was. There they could sometimes see each other and communicate. The queen got acquainted with Christianity in Drepanum, which was later renamed Helenopolis in honor of the mother of Constantine the Great (this is how the virtuous Roman ruler later began to be called). The woman was baptized in a local church. Over the next thirty years, Elena lived in unceasing prayer, cultivating virtues in herself, purifying her own soul from previous sins. The result of the work done was the acquisition of the saint of the honorary religious title "Equal to the Apostles."

State activity of Constantine

Constantius Chlorus, father of Constantine the Great, died in 306. Immediately after this mournful event, the army proclaimed the latter emperor of Gaul and Britain in place of the former ruler. The young man at that time was 32 years old - the heyday of youth. Constantine took the reins of government in these areas into his own hands and declared freedom of religion for Christianity in the lands entrusted to him.

5 years later. In 311, the western part of the empire came under the control of Maxentius, who was distinguished by cruelty and quickly became known as a tyrant because of this. The new emperor planned to eliminate Saint Constantine in order not to have a competitor. To this, the son of Empress Helen decided to organize a military campaign, the purpose of which he saw in delivering Rome from adversity in the person of the petty tyrant Maxentius. No sooner said than done. However, Constantine and his army had to face insurmountable difficulties: the enemy outnumbered them, moreover, the cruel tyrant resorted to the help of black magic in order to defeat the defender of Christians at all costs. The son of Helena and Constantius Chlorus, despite his youth, was a very wise man. He quickly assessed the situation and came to the conclusion that support should be expected only from God. Constantine began to sincerely and fervently pray to the Creator for help. The Lord heard him and showed a miraculous sign in the form of a cross made of light near the sun with the inscription "conquer this". This happened before an important battle with the enemy, the soldiers of the emperor also became witnesses of the miracle. And at night, the king had a vision of Jesus himself with a banner, on which the cross was again depicted. Christ explained to Constantine that he would defeat the tyrant Maxentius only with the help of the cross, and gave advice to acquire the same kind of banner. Obeying God himself, Constantine defeated the enemy and took possession of half of the Roman Empire.

The great ruler of a great power did everything for the good of the Christians. He took the latter under his special protection, although he never oppressed peoples professing other religions. The only ones Constantine was intolerant of were the pagans. The saint even had to engage in battle with the ruler of the eastern part of Rome, Licinius, who went to war against the son of Empress Helen. But everything ended happily: with God's help, Constantine the Great defeated the enemy army and became the sovereign emperor of the state. Of course, he immediately declared Christianity the main religion of the empire.

Saints Constantine and Helena did much to spread and strengthen Christianity. In particular, the queen found in Jerusalem the Cross of Christ, buried in the ground by opponents of the true faith in God. She brought part of the shrine to Rome to her son. Elena died in 327. Her relics are in the Italian capital. Constantine died ten years later, leaving three of his sons to reign in Rome.

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