Saint Constantine was born in the year 273A.D. He was the son of Constantius Chlorus, Ruler of Gaul, and Saint Helene, a deeply religious woman. Saint Constantine became an army officer and won many battles. Much later he became sole ruler of the Roman Empire. He showed great tolerance for Christianity, primarily because of his mother, Saint Helene, and because he had seen the Sign of the Cross in the sky prior to his battle with Maxentius.

Saint Helene at the age of eighty, made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Her mission was to discover the cross on which Christ was crucified. She had seen the place where she would find the cross in her dreams. Tradition claims that on her way to the Holy Land, she sought shelter from the heavy seas and storms on Kastellorizo. To thank the Lord for protecting her, Saint Helene built the original church where the church of Saint Constantine and Saint Helene now stands. Later, to honour her visit, a gold coin was minted, showing Saint Constantine and Saint Helene holding the cross. Many of these coins are still in circulation all over the world.

The feast day of Saint Constantine and Saint Helene is celebrated on 21 May.

Congratulations to everyone who celebrates their Name Day on this day.

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