Saint Helen's Faith in a Surprising God

Saint Helen’s Faith in a Surprising God

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
_{— 1 Corinthians 1:18}

_{― The cup of Saint Helen, which held the Holy Nails from the Cross of Christ.}
_{^{CC License by Kleon3}}

The Mystery of God’s Will

The patronage of Saint Helen († 330 AD) came to us by surprise. Encouraged by her intercessions, we seek her help in the establishment of an Orthodox community of worship, and, in particular, a monastery, here in Ireland. As can be testified by many who seek God with faith, He often reveals His Will in surprising ways. In Saint Helen’s life, God took a lowly servant with sincere faith and transformed her into a beloved Queen!

_{Legendary Saint George and the dragon. 14th C., Novgorod, Russia.
^{Image from WikiCommons.}}

Witnessing Christian Persecutions

Saint Helen first encountered Christianity at a time when a profession of faith meant torture and death. Her son Constantine attended the imperial court during the height of Christian persecutions. His guardian, Emperor Diocletian, personally oversaw the trial and brutal execution of many of our greatest martyrs. Perhaps Saints Helen and Constantine witnessed together the spectacular and triumphant witness of Saint George at his martyrdom in Rome, 303 AD.

Saint Helen’s admiration of the Christian Faith inspired her son, the new Emperor, Saint Constantine, to issue in 313 AD the Edict of Milan, thus legalising the Christian religion. Saint Helen and Constantine’s leadership in ending an era of cruel Christian persecutions offers a wonderful example of how faith can move mountains!

_{According to Legend, the sweet fragrance of basil led Saint Helen to the Cross of Christ. She found the plant growing over its location. In Greek, basil is derived from the word for “king.”}
_{^{Photo from Wikicommons}}

A Mother of the Orthodox Church, Equal to the Apostles

Later in life, with the support of her son, Saint Helen preserved the memory of the martyrs by finding their relics, recording their names, and establishing churches in their honour. She also visited the Holy Land to rediscover the sites associated with the life of Jesus Christ. She helped establish, among others, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai. Through prayer, she also rediscovered the Life-giving Cross of Christ.

_{Our Chapel’s Icon and Reliquary of Saint Helena, authored by Fr. Justin Venn.}

From stabulariae to single mother to Saint!

Saint Helen’s humble background offers us a glimpse into the redemptive love of Christ for his Bride, the Church. Before she became Constantine’s mother, she worked as a stabulariae — a low-status innkeeper servant. She also survived as a single mother, after being divorced by Constantine’s father for political gain. Nevertheless, she found courage in Christ, beloved Bridegroom of the Christian martyrs of her youth. According to her faithfulness, God honoured her greatly, to become a Queen and beloved Matriarch of the Church. In Saint Helen, He demonstrates the mystery of His Will and the surprises which He cultivates in each of us through faith.

_{Saint Helen and Saint Macarius, Bishop of Jerusalem, discover the True Cross of Christ. The antique icon came to us by chance on the day before Saint Helen’s feast.}

Knocking on Our Door

On the night before we left Munich, St. Helen’s relic came into our astonished hands. Bestowed upon us by a dear friend and namesake of the queenly saint, she hoped that Saint Helen, who had been a prolific builder of churches in her own lifetime, would help us build our Orthodox mission here on the West Coast of Ireland.

Indeed, another namesake of Saint Helen, feeling prompted by her heavenly mentor, organised a generous donation drive for our church. She personally delivered suitcases containing everything we needed to begin services, from prayerbooks, votive lamps, relic-studded icons, to altar-serving robes, supplying even the smallest details, such as incense tongs.

In May 2024, on the day before St. Helen’s feast, we were astonished once again. A neighbour unrelated to the Orthodox Church (and thus unaware of the date) gave us an antique icon of Saint Helen’s discovery of the Cross of Christ. We immediately blessed it and celebrated the Feast of Saint Helen with gratitude and eucharistic joy. Saint Helen’s manifold blessings remind us that, “Thy cup which filleth me, how excellent it is!” (Psalm 22 Septuagint)

The Orthodox Church commemorates Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Helen and her son, Saint Constantine, on May 21/June 3

Troparion — Tone 1

The Empress Helen, mother of Constantine the Great, was with us before she sought the Cross in Jerusalem. Thus, becoming like unto the apostles, She calls us also to honour the Cross, for in this sign, the standard of victory over the enemy, we are granted salvation and resurrection, and the triumph of the Heavenly Jerusalem. Wherefore, O holy Helen, pray to Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion — Tone 3

The power of the Most-high truly descended upon you from on high, O blessed Helen, as you venerated the Holy Lands in reverence, and because of this, you raised up a divine temple that was greatly beautified, crying out to Christ the Savior: Alleluia.