SAINT OF THE DAY · AUGUST 18

Who was Saint Helena?

Saintly Editorial 2 min read
In short

Saint Helena: She searched for the Cross and served Christ humbly. Lived 250 to 330. Born in Asia Minor. Roman empress and Christian patron. Patron of archaeologists and lost things. Known for finding the True Cross. Saintly remembers this saint on August 18.

  • Lived 250 to 330
  • Born in Asia Minor
  • Roman empress and Christian patron
  • Patron of archaeologists and lost things
  • Known for finding the True Cross

Who was Saint Helena?

Helena was born around the middle of the third century in Drepanum, a town near the Nicomedian Gulf. Her family was humble. One early account calls her an innkeeper. She later married Constantius Chlorus and became the mother of Constantine. Her rise began quietly, far from any imperial court.

Constantius later left Helena to make a political marriage. Their son Constantine remained loyal to his mother. When he became emperor, he brought Helena to the imperial court and gave her the title Augusta. Coins carried her image. Honor returned to the woman whom power had once cast aside.

After Constantine's victory over Maxentius, Helena embraced Christianity. She was already about sixty three years old. Eusebius wrote that her devotion became so strong that she seemed like a disciple of Christ from childhood. She went to churches in simple clothing and worshiped among ordinary people. Her new life soon took her east.

After Constantine became master of the East, Helena traveled to Palestine. She visited the places where Jesus had lived, died, and risen. She helped build churches at Bethlehem and on the Mount of Olives. She also gave money to churches, soldiers, the poor, and prisoners. Jerusalem held one search still unfinished.

Helena sought the Cross of Christ beneath the place of Calvary. Workers uncovered three crosses in a hidden cistern. The bishop of Jerusalem brought each one to a dying woman. The first two brought no change. When the third touched her, she was healed. Christians believed the true Cross had been identified.

Helena responded by honoring Christ rather than displaying imperial power. She helped establish a great church over the Holy Sepulchre. She also supported churches in Bethlehem and on the Mount of Ascension. In Jerusalem, she invited consecrated virgins to a meal and served them herself, carrying dishes and pouring water.

Helena spent her final years in the East, continuing her works of mercy and devotion. She freed people from imprisonment, exile, and forced labor in the mines. She died around the age of eighty, probably somewhere in the East. Her body was taken to Rome and buried on the Via Labicana.

What can we learn from Saint Helena today?

  • Look for one neglected person today, then offer practical help without mentioning your status.
  • Serve someone at table today, remembering Helena's humble care for consecrated women.
  • Visit a church or sacred place, and quietly honor Christ's Cross as Helena did.

Saint Helena shows how a late conversion can become a life of strong faith. She used imperial resources to honor Christ, strengthen churches, and relieve suffering. Her search for the Cross became famous, yet her humility remains equally striking. She served others even after receiving the highest earthly honors.

When is the feast day of Saint Helena?

Saintly remembers Saint Helena on August 18, when the story above is the saint of the day in the app. Read how the Church declares someone a saint, or how to choose a patron saint.

Sources

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