The Christian Conversion of Constantine (October 27, 312)
The controversy over the Christian conversion of Constantine the Great is never-ending, but evidence supports that his decision was authentic. Constantine became the first Christian emperor in the Roman empire, and the one who initiated a new era in early church history. The church historian Eusebius gives a detailed account of Constantine’s transformative vision.
On the evening of October 27, 312, before his battle against Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge outside of Rome, Constantine read a statement in the sky that declared, “In this sign, you will conquer.” The sign that he saw was a Chi (Χ) traversed by Rho (Ρ) that formed a cross: Chi (Χ) and Rho (Ρ) are the first Greek letters of “Christ.” Constantine wore the insignia on his helmet and had it put on his soldiers’ shields.