Today we commemorate Bede the Venerable, Theologian. Bede was the last of the Early Church Fathers. Placed in a monastery at the age of seven, Bede rarely left his monastery home and devoted his life to teaching and writing. A prolific writer, Bede produced both histories and theological works — his commentaries are still used today. Bede’s most well-known disciple, Cuthbert, reported that Bede was working on translating the Gospel of John at the time of his death. Bede is buried in Durham Cathedral.

Today we commemorate Esther. Esther, who is the heroine of the Biblical book that bears her name, became the queen of King Ahasuerus. Using her position of power, Esther was able to uncover a plot to exterminate her people and have the architect of that plot hanged, and his office filled by her uncle and guardian, Mordecai. Esther’s story reveals to us how God works to preserve His saints and to deliver them from evil.

Today we commemorate Emperor Constantine, Christian Ruler, and Helena, Mother of Constantine. Emperor Constantine converted from paganism to Christianity and became both a defender and a supporter of the Church. Pursuant to the Edict of Milan, issued in AD 313, persecution of Christians became illegal in the Roman Empire. And it was Constantine who called the Council of Nicaea in AD 325; it was this council that defined and defended orthodox Christianity. Helena, Constantine’s mother, took a particular interest in archaeology and in locating historical sites related to Christianity; she would become one of the first Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land, and she identified a number of Biblical sites — some of which are still, to this day, maintained as places of worship.