Saint Helena
c. 246-330
Feast day: August 18
Helena was the mother of Constantine, the Roman emperor who, in 313, ended the persecution of Christians throughout the empire. She was born in Asia Minor, married a Roman general named Constantius Chlorus and gave birth to Constantine in 274 in what is now Serbia. She became a Christian in 312, and thereafter was known for her devotion, prayerfulness and generosity to the poor. In about 326, she went to the Holy Land, where she spent her last years humbly doing housework in her convent but also building churches on holy sites. She reportedly found the “true cross” of Calvary. She is a patron saint of archaeologists, converts and difficult marriages.
This article appeared in the August/September 2024 issue of Northwest Catholic magazine. Read the rest of the issue here.