Equal to the Apostles Emperor Saint '''Constantine the Great''' ([[February 27]], 272–-[[May 22]], 337) was proclaimed Augustus by his troops on [[July 25]], 306 and ruled an ever-growing portion of the Roman Empire to his death. Constantine is famed for his refounding of [[Byzantium]] as "New Rome," which was always called "Constantine's City" — [[Constantinople]]. With the "[[Edict of Milan]]" in 313, Constantine and his co-Emperor removed all onus from Christianity. By taking the personal step of convoking the [[First Ecumenical Council|Council of Nicaea]] (325) Constantine began the Roman Empire's unofficial sponsoring of [[Christianity]], which was a major factor in that religion's spread. His reputation as the "first Christian Emperor" was promulgated by [[Lactantius]] and [[Eusebius of Caesarea|Eusebius]] and gained ground in the succeeding generations. The [[Orthodox Church]] keeps his feast on [[May 21]], along with his mother, Empress Saint [[Helen]].