Constantine's Vision of the Cross - 27 October 312

It was 1700 years ago today, that Constantine had a vision of christ's cross on the eve of the Battle of the Milvina Bridge in Rome. He had the Chi Rho monogramm added tro all shields before the battle.

Having fought "under the protection of the cross", he won the battle, gained control of the whole Roman Empire and subsequently paved the way for Christianity to spread throughout the empire and ultimately become the dominant religion in Europe. 
 
Elsewhere in the world, Amsterdam was founded on this day (1275), as was Philadelphia (1682), the first New York Subway line went into operation (1904) and the British carried out nuclear test Totem 2 in Emu Fields, South Australia (1953).

James Cook, the first European to discover Australia's East Coast was born in Marton (present day Middlesborough)/England (1728), 26th US President Theodore Rosevelt (New York City, 1858), John 'Basil Fawlty' Cleese (Weston-super-Mare/England, 1939) and the Oscar winning Italian actor and director Roberto Benigni (Manciano/Italy, 1952).