Pagan & Christians blend: Constantine, 2 Bishops of Rome (Popes) & an advisor



Emperor Constantine

After his victory at the Milvian Bridge, Constantine was now to be emperor of the Roman Empire. He went to meet with the Bishop of Rome, (later known as Pope) Miltiades. Constantine told him he won by the sign of the Christians which he had seen in the sky before battle. Before departing, the new emperor told the old Bishop that he would now have a say in picking future bishops of Rome. This mixing of Church and state was not well recieved by Miltiades who soon died.
Then came Bishop of Rome (Pope) Sylvester. He was picked by Constantine and treated like royalty. Also, Constantine & Sylvester take steps for a universal church. Pope Sylvester is the first Bishop of Rome to die in splendor, surrounded by well dressed bishops and priests in a palace.
And of course one can't forget the advisor to Constantine for Church-state synthesis-Lactantius. His job was to find the way to make it easier for pagans to convert and accept Christianity.
This is the time of the major influx of pagan superstitious rites into the Church.
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Revelation 17:4,5

Sunday Legislation of Constantine:

On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.
Fulda, archbishop of Mainz in the 8th century wrote- "But he [Sylvester] ordered [them] to call the Sabbath by the ancient term of the law, [to call] the first feria the "Lord's day," because on it the Lord rose [from the dead], Moreover, the same pope decreed that the rest of the Sabbath should be transferred rather to the Lord's day [Sunday], in order that on that day we should rest from worldly works for the praise of God.^"