The most important battle ever fought on planet Earth may very well have been the battle of Milvian Bridge, on October 28, 312 AD, between the forces of two Roman Emperors, Constantine and Maxentius. Though outnumbered, Constantine won, and by winning assumed sole control of the government of Rome. Legend has it he saw a sign in the sky the night before the battle, a sign that said In Hoc Signe Vincit, In This Sign You Shall Conquer. The sign was the Christian sign of the Chi-ro, the first three letters of the name of Christ. Constantine had his men paint the sign on their shields, won the battle, and later made Christianity the state religion of Rome. Europe therefore was Christian when the Arab invasions began five centuries later, and a Christian Europe united in defeating the Muslim armies. It is difficult to see how a non-united non-Christian Europe, with many differing religions, could have resisted the sword of Islam any more than the Middle East, North Africa and the eastern lands stretching from Persia to India had been able to resist. Had Constantine not won the battle of Milvian Bridge, Europe would not have been Christian, and we would all be Muslims now. There would have been no Enlightenment, no science, no Western culture, no democracy and no United States.  

 

 

IN HOC SIGNE VINCIT

or

HOW CONSTANTINE PUT THE X IN XMAS

 

 

We wish you a merry X-Mas

A sentiment just fine

But did you know that Xmas

Has its roots in Constantine?

 

Back in the day of Roman clout

When Legions reigned supreme

 A couple emperors duked it out

To see who owned the dream

 

Old Connie told his soldiers he

Had seen in the night sky

A sign proclaiming victory

And gave the reason why

 

He said the sign did light the night

The sign of the Chi-Ro

That promised he would win the fight

If allegiance he would show

 

The sign proclaimed the Christian King

Whom they would recognize

To rule the earth and everything

From seas to shining skies

 

Thus Constantine did give the word

“The sign upon each shield!”

The morning saw his army gird

For battle they’d not yield

 

The Christian god now on their side

The troops were confident

That no defeat would God abide

And into battle went

 

 You know the rest, they passed the test

And Constantine emerged

A Christian king, one of the best

The pagans they were scourged

 

What was that fiery sign you ask

That flared in bold relief

That gave to Constantine the task

Of changing men’s belief

 

From many gods to the one True

I’ll tell you so you know

The sign that flared up in the blue

Was the old Greek Chi-Ro

 

The letter X, that sounds the same

As Ch, then with Ro,

The letter R, becomes the name

Of Christ, to those who know

 

And still today the letter X

Stands for the risen one

And not a slight designed to vex

Adherents of the Son

 

Had Constantine not climbed the ridge

And to the sign did bow

He’d have lost that day at Milvian Bridge

And we’d all be muslims now

 

So Merry X-Mas as we dine

On this fine Christmas Day

And drink a toast to Constantine

Who showed us all the way

 

 

MERRY XMAS!