The
Battle of Cibalae was fought this day in MLIX A.V.C. (316 AD). Flavius
Valerius Constantinus Constantine the Great [27 Feb, perhaps
286 22 May 337], who had placed his army under the sign of Christianity,
defeated his former ally and now rival Licinius, who trusted in the pagan
gods of Rome. According to historian bishop Eusebius of Caesarea in his
Life of Constantine:
[in 312, at the Milvian Bridge on the Via Aurelia, some 6 km north of the
Gate of Rome (Piazza del Popolo)]:
. . . Accordingly he called on God with earnest prayer and supplications
that He would reveal to him Who He was, and stretch forth his right hand
to help him in his present difficulties. And while he was thus praying with
fervent entreaty, a most marvelous sign appeared to him from heaven, the
account of which it might have been hard to believe, had it been related
by any other person. But since the Victorious Emperor himself long afterwards
declared it to the wrtier of this History, when he was honored with his
acquaintance and society, and confirmed his statement with an oath, who
could not believe the account especially since subsequent events established
its truth? He said that about noon, when the day was already beginning to
decline, he saw with his own eyes the trophy of a cross of light in the
heavens, above the sun, bearing the inscription IN HOC SIGNO VINCES [en
toutoi nika in Greek]. At this sight, he himself was struck with amazement,
and his whole army which was with him on this expedition too and which witnessed
this miracle. ... He became disturbed: What could the vision mean? He continued
to ponder ... and night came on him suddenly. When he was asleep, the Christ
of God appeared to him, and He brought with Him the sign which had appeared
in the sky. He ordered Constantine to make a replica of this sign and to
use it as a protection against his enemies ... It was made the following
way: There was a long spear, forming the shape of the cross with a transverse
bar. Over it all was a wreath made of gold and precious stones. Within it
was the symbol of the Savior's name, two letters to show the beginning of
it ... copies of it were carried by his command at the head of all his armies.
[
fresco
painting]
Thereupon Constantine won, against overwhelming odds, the battle of the
Milvian Bridge (28 October 312) [fresco: left,
right].
He ended the persecution of Christians, established religious tolerance,
professed Christianity, but got baptized only on his deathbed [inaccurate
painting
by students of Raphael].
The Orthodox church venerates Constantine the Great as a saint.