Yet on St. Helena — named after the mother of Constantine the Great, the Roman emperor who “made Christianity the main religion of Rome” — he once again wrestled with the faith of his youth, becoming more intrigued and vocal in his spiritual affirmations.
On June 8, 1816, nearing a year in exile, he purportedly stated, “Everything proclaims the existence of a God; that is beyond doubt,” with the caveat “but all our religions are clearly the off-spring of men.” He further insisted his doubts of reconciling with the Church, saying, “A man can swear to nothing that he will do in his last moments; yet undoubtedly my belief is that I shall die without a confessor.”
Read Full Article »