High - quality serigraphy with Saints Constantine and Helen. Vibrant background colors and 22K gold on a wooden frame with glass. The icon is from the Holy Cell of St. Nicholas on Mount Athos and is packaged in a hard cardboard box.
Dimensions: 23 x 29 cm.
Short life of Saint Constantine and Saint Helen
Constantine the Great was a Roman emperor who played a very important role in history. He was born in 272 AD in Naissus and grew up in a military environment, as his father was a high-ranking official. From a young age he was involved in the army and quickly distinguished himself. After his father’s death, he rose to the position of emperor and gradually managed to gain control over the Roman Empire. One of the most well-known moments of his reign was his victory over Maxentius in 312, which gave him great power in the West. Shortly afterwards, in 313, he issued the Edict of Milan, through which Christians were allowed to worship God freely without persecution. He later became sole ruler of the entire empire and introduced major reforms in the state and administration. He founded a new capital, Constantinople, which changed the map of the empire. He also convened the Council of Nicaea in 325 to address theological disputes within the Church. Towards the end of his life, he was baptized as a Christian and died in 337. The Church commemorates him together with his mother Saint Helen on May 21.
Saint Helen was the mother of Constantine the Great and one of the most beloved figures in the Christian Church. She was born in Drepanum in Asia Minor and later married the Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus, with whom she had a son, Constantine the Great. After her separation from Constantius, Helen remained close to her son, who loved and respected her deeply. When Constantine became emperor, Helen held a prominent position at the imperial court. However, she chose to live simply and devoted herself to her faith, prayer, and caring for those in need. In her later years, she traveled to the Holy Land, where she sought out places associated with the life of Christ. According to tradition, she discovered the True Cross and played an important role in the construction of several significant churches, including the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Saint Helen became renowned for her deep faith, charity, and contribution to the Christian faith. In recognition of her service to the Church, she was honored with the title Equal-to-the-Apostles. She reposed at approximately 80 years of age, and the Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Helen together with Constantine the Great on May 21.
