From Canon Brian Davis
Sir, - The Revd Patrick Irwin (Prayer for the Week, 14 June) makes
a common mistake. He states that in AD 312 Constantine "saw the
cross in the sky, accompanied by the words, 'In this sign
conquer'".
What he is recorded as seeing was the labarum, or
Chi-Rho, the first two letters of Christos, a common
Christian symbol from early times. It was this that he caused to be
painted on to the shields of his soldiers at the Battle of Milvian
Bridge, when he defeated his rival Maxentius.
Many of us today would be deeply uncomfortable with the idea of
the cross "as an encouragement to armies and nations".
BRIAN DAVIS
62 Lubenham Hill
Market Harborough LE16 9DQ