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(Helen, Helene, Elena) [250-330], Born in Bithynia in Asia. In her sixties, she became a Christian when her son Constantine became Emperor and allowed Christianity in the Empire. He greatly honored and respected his mother. Helena embraced all Christian virtues, especially Piety and Almsgiving. She helped build the Basilicas in Rome. She is credited with finding the True Cross of Christ and built a church on Mt. Calvary to house it. She is patron of empresses, converts, difficult marriages and the divorced. Her feast is August 18, the day of her death.

St. Helen

Feast Day: Roman Rite Calendar - 08/18 Tridentine Calendar - 08/18 Patron Of: Archeologists Profile     Converted to Christianity late in life. Married Constantius Chlorus, co-regent of the western Roman empire. Mother of Constantine the Great. Her husband put her aside for a second marriage with better political connections. On his death, her son ascended to the throne, brought her home, and treated her as royalty. She used her high position and wealth in the service of her religious enthusiasm, and helped build churches throughout the empire.     At the age of 80 she led a group to the Holy Land to search for the True Cross. She and her group unearthed three crosses in 326. At the suggestion of Saint Macarius of Jerusalem, she took them to a woman afflicted with an incurable disease, and had her touch each one. One of them immediately cured her, and it was pronounced the True Cross. She built a church on the spot where the cross was found, and sent pieces to Rome and Constantinople; the Feast of the Holy Cross on 14 September celebrates the event. Thus in art, she is usually depicted holding a wooden cross. Born     250 Died     330 of natural causes Canonized     Pre-Congregation All information used with permission of the Patron Saint Index.

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