Is Constantine a Saint in the Roman Catholic Latin Rite?

[AdherentToRome]

I am wondering if Constantine the Great (Equal to the Apostles), is considered to be a saint according to the Roman Catholic Church. I can’t seem to find a simple yes or no. It appears the Orthodox Church as a whole and Eastern Rite Catholic churches would say yes, but for a man who has the title above, I would expect him to have a major feast day or a few churches dedicated to him on the western side of things. Thanks for the help!

 

[PaulfromIowa]

These extreme titles: Constantine the Great, Equal to the Apostles, are unique to the East. Western Christians never really developed this hero worship of Constantine.

 

[AdherentToRome]

Do you know if the west still sees him as a saint though?

 

[deprofundis89]

There is a tradition that says that although Constantine adopted Christianity as the official religion of the empire and his mother was a Christian (St Helena), he did not convert to it at that time… It was only later on his death bed that he converted to Christianity and received baptism but he did so from the hands of a arian bishop (Eusebius if I am not mistaken) who had already been condemned by several bishops as a heretic because of his arian views. Also he was sympathetic to some arian bishops.

 

[De_Maria]

I am wondering if Constantine the Great (Equal to the Apostles), is considered to be a saint according to the Roman Catholic Church. I can’t seem to find a simple yes or no. It appears the Orthodox Church as a whole and Eastern Rite Catholic churches would say yes, but for a man who has the title above, I would expect him to have a major feast day or a few churches dedicated to him on the western side of things. Thanks for the help!

Yes, he is a Saint. There was a time in history when the Church did not have a canonization process. Sts. Constantine and Helen, his mother, are from that era.

The Eastern rite Catholics consider him a Saint. Western rite Catholics do not have a sort of veto power over whom they may consider a Saint.

I, for one, am of the opinion, that if the Holy Spirit has inspired that their entire community designate him a Saint, who are we to deny it?

 

[Constantin]

Of course he is a saint! No doubt! But then again, I might be just a little bit biased…

 

[babochka]

Extreme titles? Hero worship?

Perhaps you don’t understand the meaning of the title. Equal to the Apostles is a title that is given in recognition of a saint’s contributions in spreading Christianity, comparable to that of the apostles. There is no doubt about Constantine’s very significant contributions to the spread of Christianity. It has nothing to do with “hero worship”. Among others, the title is also held by Constantine’s mother, St. Helen, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Photina (the woman at the well), St. Patrick and Sts. Cyril and Methodius.

 

[babochka]

Yes, he is a Saint. There was a time in history when the Church did not have a canonization process. Sts. Constantine and Helen, his mother, are from that era.

The Eastern rite Catholics consider him a Saint. Western rite Catholics do not have a sort of veto power over whom they may consider a Saint.

Right. It’s like asking “Is Teresa of Avila a saint in the Byzantine Rite?” Of course, she is. A saint is a saint.

 

[BornInMarch]

Maybe just a little bit

 

[AdherentToRome]

True. I only ask because certain Byzantine churches venerate St. Gregory of Palmas. He is a post schism saint who was canonized by the Orthodox church. However he has a feast day and is openly recognized by the Byzantine rite, yet has never been approved by the Roman Catholic church. From what I can tell, the church strongly rejects the idea of even venerating them. I wanted to make sure that Constantine did not fall into this category of venerated by one half of the church but not by the others. Thanks for the help.

 

[babochka]

I’m not sure that it is accurate, that the Church strongly rejects the veneration of St. Gregory Palamas for Latin Catholics. If it were wrong for Catholics of the Latin Rite to venerate him, it would also be wrong for Eastern Catholics to venerate him, much less have him on our liturgical calendar. I don’t understand how it can be “required” (on the liturgical calendar) for some Catholics, but completely rejected for others. Should Latin Rite Catholics avoid attending Byzantine Catholic Churches on the Second Sunday of Lent, as that Sunday is dedicated to him? Or on November 14, his feast day? It just doesn’t make sense.

St. Constantine, of course, is a saint of the undivided Church and would fall into a completely different category.

 

[AdherentToRome]

Thansk for all the help on this and for expanding my understanding on it. As a Lutheran convert im still learning all the dos amd don’ts and want to make sure im as accurate as possible.