Category:Saint Helena

Saint Helena

Born: ca. 246/50 possibly at Helenopolis Bithynia, Asia Minor Died: ca. 327/30 in Rome Honored in: Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Churches Oriental Orthodoxy Anglican Communion Lutheran Church Canonized: Pre-Congregation Major shrine: The shrine to Saint Helena in St. Peter's Basilica Feast: 18 August (Roman Catholic Church); 21 May (Orthodox, Anglican & Lutheran Churches); 19 May (Lutheran Church); 9 Pashons (Coptic Orthodox Church) Attributes: Cross Patronage: archaeologists, converts, difficult marriages, divorced people, empresses, Saint Helena island

Helena was born in the mid-200's. She and her husband Constantius Chlorus had a son, Constantine, in 274. Constantius became co-Regent of the West in 292, and he abandoned Helena to marry another woman. In 308 Constantine came to power and conferred the title of Augusta on his mother Helena. Helena converted to Christianity after her son's victory over Maxentius. She died about the year 330.

Excerpt from Lives of the Saints, 1894 by Alban Butler, Benziger Brothers edition, 1894

August 18.—ST. HELENA, Empress;

IT was the pious boast of the city of Colchester, England, for many ages, that St. Helena was born within its walls; and though this honor has been disputed, it is certain that she was a British princess. She embraced Christianity late in life; but her incomparable faith and piety greatly influenced her son Constantine, the first Christian emperor, and served to kindle a holy zeal in the hearts of the Roman people. Forgetful of her high dignity, she delighted to assist at the Divine Office amid the poor; and by her alms-deeds showed herself a mother to the indigent and distressed. In her eightieth year she made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, with the ardent desire of discovering the cross on which our blessed Redeemer suffered. After many labors, three crosses were found on Mount Calvary, together with the nails and the inscription recorded by the Evangelists. It still remained to identify the true cross of Our Lord. By the advice of the bishop, Macarius, the three were applied successively to a woman afflicted with an incurable disease, and no sooner had the third touched her than she arose, perfectly healed. The pious empress, transported with joy, built a most glorious church on Mount Calvary to receive the precious relic, sending portions of it to Rome and Constantinople, where they were solemnly exposed to the adoration of the faithful. In the year 313 Constantine found himself attacked by Maxentius with vastly superior forces, and the very existence of his empire threatened. In this crisis he bethought him of the crucified Christian God Whom his mother Helena worshipped, and kneeling down, prayed God to reveal Himself and give him the victory. Suddenly, at noonday, a cross of fire was seen by his army in the calm and cloudless sky, and beneath it the words. In hoc signo vinces— "Through this sign thou shalt conquer." By divine command, Constantine made a standard like the cross he had seen, which was borne at the head of his troops; and under this Christian ensign they marched against the enemy, and obtained a complete victory. Shortly after, Helena herself returned to Rome, where she expired, 328.

Reflection.— St. Helena thought it the glory of her life to find the cross of Christ, and to raise a temple in its honor. How many Christians in these days are ashamed to make this life-giving sign, and to confess themselves the followers of the Crucified!