St. Helen (Helena) was the Empress and mother of Constantine the Great (r. 306-337). Helen was born in Bithynia to a poor family of little social status. She was a working as a servant, in fact, when she met the soldier Constantius I Chlorus. The two were soon married, especially as Constantius had seemingly few prospects, and so a union with a lowly daughter of a Bithynian family was not considered an impediment.

Their son, Constantine, was born in 285. In 293, however, Constantius was made Caesar, or junior emperor. For political purposes, he divorced Helen to marry co-Emperor Maximian’s stepdaughter.

Constantine became emperor himself in 312 after a fateful victory at the battle of the Milvian Bridge over the rival claimant Maxentius.

When Constantine became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire, Helen was granted many honors. She was named Augusta, or empress, in 325, and enjoyed much influence at the imperial court.

Helen converted to Christianity and performed many acts of charity, including building churches in Rome and in the Holy Land.

Helen is most notably known for seeking and finding the passion relics of Christ. She went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and discovered the True Cross, an event recorded Rufinus Sulpicius Severus and St. Ambrose. Helen also built basilicas in Bethlehem and on the Mount of Olives.