Constantine was the first Christian emperor of Rome, becoming a believer after a vision he had at Milvian Bridge in Rome in 312. According to his biographer, the historian Eusebius, he saw a vision in the sky at high noon of the Chi Rho, the first two letters in the name Christ and a popular Christian symbol. Above the Chi Rho he saw the words In Hoc Signo Vinces (“in this sign you will conquer”). He interpreted this vision as an encouraging sign from God that he would defeat his enemy who, at the time, was the rival emperor Maxentius. The two met the next day at the bridge, and Constantine was victorious. There had been four emperors set up under the constitution of Diocletian; Constantine had eliminated two in battle, and one died. Now Constantine was the sole emperor of the Roman Empire. He was, like Paul, not disobedient to the heavenly vision, and confessed Christ and was later baptized at St. John Lateran. He founded four Christian churches in the four corners of Rome (St. Peter’s, St. Paul’s, St. John, and Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.
In 313 Constantine issued his decree making Christianity a legal religion and left Rome, never to return. Rome was now too pagan, and the population, strength of the military and wealth were now in the east; thus, it made sense to move the capital to a city that would from the beginning be Christian (he boasted that it had more churches than the year had days), well-protected, and a center of trade. He chose the Greek city of Byzantium, a city surrounded on three sides by water and thus on the sea trade routes as well as the land routes.

One of the most impressive churches he constructed, though not the first, was the church of the Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia). Unfortunately, it was destroyed in the Nika riots of 532, but the emperor Justinian rebuilt it in five years. A mammoth dome seemed to float above the expanse of the sanctuary, beautiful mosaics adorned the walls much of which was covered in gold, and it was so precisely constructed that its dimensions could be converted to music. The architects Isadore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles had created a masterpiece that would remain the largest, most important, and most glorious in the world, at least until the construction of the present St. Peter’s in Rome.

When Justianian arrived at the massive doors of Hagia Sophia on Christmas day in 537 he exclaimed, “Glory be to God who has deemed me worthy of such a work! Oh, Solomon, I have vanquished thee!” My visit was in 1993, and like Justinian, I marveled at the impressive size and beauty that remains after all these years. I looked up at the dome, climbed to the imperial balcony and looked down at the expanse below. It is an unforgettable experience.

Comentarios