Saint Elena 24" - 2367

Saint Helena was born in 248, and was a Roman empress who was the reputed discoverer of Christ's cross. She was married to the Roman emperor Constantius I Chlorus, who renounced her for political reasons. She was made empress dowager by her son Constantine I the Great when he became emperor at York in 306. She was devoted to her eldest grandson Crispus Caesar, but a mysterious embroilment ended with the execution of Crispus and his step mother - Constantine's second wife - Fausta. Fausta had accused Crispin of attempting to seduce her, hence his execution. Fausta was executed shortly after, when she was denounced by the grief-stricken Helena. After this, Saint Helena made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and had churches built on the reputed sites in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. It was claimed in Jerusalem that Christ's cross had been found during the building of Constantine's church of Golgotha. Later in the century, Helena was credited with the discovery.