What is saint Helena famous for?

Saint Helena of Constantinople (248/250-328 CE), mother of Roman emperor Constantine I (r. 306-337 CE) is most famous for her pilgrimage to Jerusalem where tradition claims found Christ's true cross and built the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher.

When did Saint Helena convert to Christianity?

The theory is widely accepted that Helena was a Christian from birth, and when she went to live with her son, Constantine I, at court, she influenced him to become a Christian as well. However, according to Eusebius of Caesarea (d. 339 CE), a bishop considered the father of church history, her conversion to Christianity followed Constantine becoming emperor.

What did Constantine's mother do in Jerusalem?

After the execution of Crispus and Fausta (Constantine's son and wife), Helena decided to on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to distribute alms and build churches, especially in holy places, such as sites of the death and ascension of Jesus Christ. Tradition claims she discovered the True Cross.

Helena of Constantinople Timeline

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Definition

Saint Helena of Constantinople (248/250-328 CE) was the mother of Roman emperor Constantine I (r. 306-337 CE). She famously made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem where tradition claims found Christ's true cross and built the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. She is venerated as a saint and considered the patron of archaeologists, converts, difficult marriages, divorced people, empresses, Saint Helena Island, and new discoveries.

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