St. Constantine?

Today is the Commemoration of Constantine, Roman Emperor. But is he a Saint? Some churches do commemorate him as a Saint, primarily for his protection of the Christian Church and for his role in the construction or restoration of many ancient Christian sites.

On the other hand, Imperator Caesar Flavius Valerius Constantinus Augustus (that’s his regal name) was not very…saintly. He was not even baptized until near death, and then it was by a heterodox bishop. And he was very “imperial” at times, and by imperial think this kind of imperial:

But what is a Saint, anyway? And who decides who a saint is and who isn’t a saint? Why do we Lutherans call Luther, “Luther,” and not “St. Luther,” but we do call St. Augustine, “St. Augustine?”

I don’t have space or time to answer it completely. Think of this as a discussion question, remembering that God is author of holiness (sanctity - “saint-hood”), and that our eternal life is a matter of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

And on this day remember the God-blessed Edict of Milan (June 13, 313), which spared our Christian fathers and mothers the horrors of Roman persecution.