DID YOU KNOW

Constantine I of the Roman Empire

Moved the date of celebration of Jesus' birth to December 25th, since this was the celebration date for the birth of Mithras and Bacchus, and also the date of other winter solstice festivals.

He merged Church and State for easy governance, and of course for one of the oldest reasons in the world: MONEY. There were heavy taxes levied on the all Churches and Bishops. He created the Edict of Milan to legalize his newly found infatuation with Christianity.

Critics of the merger of Church and State point to this shift of the beginning of the era of Constantinianism when Christianity and the will of God gradually came to be identified with the will of the ruling elite; and in some cases was little more than a religious justification for the exercise of power.

In addition, Constantine instituted use of the Chi-Rho symbol, representative of Christianity, also alleged by some scholars to have had use as an obeloi for "auspicious" thus serving both Christian and non-Christian purpose simultaneously.

Was the first Emperor known to receive a Christian baptism, abolished crucifixion in the Roman Empire at the end of his reign.