(d. 330)
August 18
In the late third century, in a small province of the western part of the Roman Empire known as Bithynia, a daughter was born to an innkeeper and his wife. The little girl was named Helen, and as she grew up she learned to help her parents care for the travelers who stopped at the inn. Like most of their neighbors, the family was not Christian. They were pagans who worshiped the gods of the Roman Empire.
One day there was great excitement in the town. “General Constantius is coming!” some men shouted. “Constantius Chlorus is coming with his troops!” Constantius and his men stopped at the inn. Helen helped her parents serve the soldiers their meals. She must have been a very gracious hostess, for General Constantius fell in love with her and asked for her hand in marriage. Her parents were sorry to lose their daughter, but they were happy for Helen. “As the general’s wife, you will be well cared for,” Helen’s father told her. “You’ll never have to worry about finances, and you’ll get to travel all over the empire.”
Helen was in her late twenties when she married Constantius. Soon enough, the couple had a son, whom they named Constantine.
Constantius was a brilliant soldier and won many victories. He became more and more important in the army. Then he was appointed Caesar (ruler) of the western empire. That was when the blow fell. Constantius was persuaded to divorce Helen and marry the stepdaughter of Emperor Maximian—for political reasons! This type of political marriage was common at the time, and Helen had no choice but to agree with the divorce.
Poor Helen! She loved her husband and her son, and it was hard to leave them. But she accepted the situation as best she could and began to live her lonely life of exile. We’re not sure, but perhaps it was during this period that Helen became interested in Christianity and began to learn all she could about it.
We don’t know much about Helen’s life over the next twenty years. But at last her ex-husband, Constantius, died and their son Constantine became emperor. Helen was now almost sixty-five years old.
One of the first things that Constantine did was to call his mother back from exile. He gave her the title of empress, and even had coins made in her honor.
At the same time, Helen finished her instruction in the Christian faith and received Baptism. With Constantine’s permission, she spent great sums of money to provide food and clothing for the poor and to free many people from prison. She invited the men and women who were specially consecrated to God to dine at the palace, and she herself served them. She also had many churches built and decorated with beautiful artwork and gold.
The Romans, who had long governed Jerusalem, had built a temple to Venus, a pagan goddess, on Mount Calvary. Helen went to Jerusalem and ordered the temple torn down. Then she had a church built over the tomb where Jesus had been buried. Helen had another church built on the Mount of Olives.
At Calvary, Helen searched for the cross on which Jesus had been crucified. Although it had been preserved by the first Christians, it had been lost later when the Romans scattered the Christians and Jews. Workmen began to dig, and soon three wooden crosses were discovered! In the earth nearby they found long, sharp nails.
Helen was overjoyed—but which cross was the cross of Jesus? She turned for help to the holy Bishop Macarius. “Your Excellency, how are we to distinguish the true cross?”
“Your Highness,” he replied, “let us ask God’s help in this matter.”
With Constantine’s permission, Helen spent great sums of money to provide food and clothing for the poor and to free many people from prison.
So the bishop and the empress, together with several other people, took the three crosses to the home of a lady who was ill. They said a prayer, and then touched the sick woman with the crosses. At the touch of the true cross, the lady was miraculously cured!
Helen had a beautiful church built, where the relic of the true cross could be kept. News of what she had done spread throughout the empire. Everywhere people learned or were reminded that Jesus died on his cross to redeem us. Thousands and thousands of people were baptized in the following years. Many of these made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to see the holy cross for themselves.
Having been God’s instrument in reawakening the Christian world, Helen died peacefully at the age of eighty. She had been a strong and faithful woman, able to accept difficult circumstances and grow from them.
Sometimes things happen to us or to our families that are beyond our control. St. Helen’s life shows us that God can help us find peace and strength no matter what situation we find ourselves in.