We honor St.

St.

Cyril and Methodius!

This is the name day that today

the Orthodox Church honors today the holy co-apostles Constantine and Helena.

The church holiday is in memory of Emperor Constantine and his mother Elena.

In 313, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which introduced Christianity as the official religion in Byzantium.

He himself accepted the Christian faith at the end of his life.

Empress Helen went on pilgrimage to the places where Christ lived, built several monasteries and discovered the cross on which Jesus was crucified.

This event is considered the most important in the history of the Christian church and therefore Emperor Constantine and his mother Elena were canonized as saints.

It is known from historical data that during the reign of Emperor Constantine the rapid construction of magnificent temples and basilicas began.

St. worked especially hard in this regard.

Helen, who especially for this went to Jerusalem, where she visited the Holy Places.

There she discovered the life-giving Cross of the Lord.

At her request, temples were built in all places related to the most important events in the life and saving mission of Jesus Christ.

After completing this noble work of hers, she returned to the capital and soon died.

Emperor Constantine lived ten years after the death of his mother and died in 337, in the city of Nicomedia, at the age of 65.

After his death, his body was solemnly transferred to the newly built capital of Constantinople.

There it was laid in the church "Holy Apostles" built by him.

The 16th century city of Constantinople bears his name.

Name day is celebrated by Konstantin, Elena, Kostadin, Kostadinka.

Saints Constantine and Helena