Society

13 June, 2026 / 10:12

/ 03 June, 2026

Old-Calendar Orthodox Christians celebrate Saints Constantine and Helen

Old-Calendar Orthodox Christians today, June 3, are celebrating Saints Constantine and Helen, two of the most important figures of Christianity, regarded as protectors of the Church and defenders of the Christian faith.

According to the Church tradition, Emperor Constantine the Great went down in history as the ruler who granted freedom of faith to Christians through the Edict of Milan, issued in the year 313, thus putting an end to the persecutions against them in the Roman Empire. His mother, Empress Helen, is known for her pilgrimage to Jerusalem and for discovering the wood of the Holy Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.

The feast has special significance both in religious life and in popular tradition. In many churches across the country, special services are held, and numerous localities mark their patronal feast. In popular belief, the day is also known as “Constantin Graur” or “Constantinul Puilor,” being associated with the period when birds teach their chicks to fly.

On this day, no field work is done, in order to protect crops from birds and hail, and Christians go to church to pray for health and harmony in their families.

In Moldova, there are approximately 125,200 people who bear these names: 27,809 men are named Constantine and 97,434 women are named Helen.

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