[31], At least twenty-five holy wells currently exist in the United Kingdom dedicated to a Saint Helen. Helena, Helena Augusta, or Saint Helena (/ ˈ h ɛ l ə n ə /; Greek: Ἁγία Ἑλένη, Hagía Helénē; Latin: Flavia Iulia Helena Augusta; c. 246/248 AD – c. 330 AD), was an Empress of the Roman Empire, and mother of Emperor Constantine the Great.. Several relics purportedly discovered by Helena are now in Cyprus, where she spent some time. Helena is the protagonist of Evelyn Waugh's novel Helena.

According to Eusebius, her conversion to Christianity followed her son becoming emperor.

On the site of discovery, Constantine ordered the building of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. [33] The arms of Nottingham are almost identical because of the city's connection with Cole, her supposed father. St Helena is a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, one of the safest and most remote islands in the […] Born outside of the noble classes,[1] a Greek, possibly in the Greek city of Drepana, Bithynia in Asia Minor, she became the consort of the future Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus and the mother of the future Emperor Constantine the Great. Her feast day as a saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church is celebrated with her son on 21 May, the "Feast of the Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helena, Equal to the Apostles".

Accounts differ concerning whether the temple was dedicated to Venus or Jupiter. Helena, Helena Augusta, or Saint Helena (/ˈhɛlənə/; Greek: Ἁγία Ἑλένη, Hagía Helénē; Latin: Flavia Iulia Helena Augusta; c. 246/248 AD  – c. 330 AD), was an Empress of the Roman Empire, and mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. [citation needed] Portions of her relics are found at the basilica of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli in Rome, the Église Saint-Leu-Saint-Gilles in Paris, and at the Abbaye Saint-Pierre d'Hautvillers. Maj. V. C. P. Hodson, List of the Officers of the Bengal Army, 1758-1834, part III (London: Phillimore & Co. Ltd., 1946), 481. [b] She received the title of Augusta in 325 AD.

Whether you are a resident, visitor, or investor, please browse, catch up on our news, and find out about the services we provide to our community. [14] Others, like Timothy Barnes, assert that Constantius and Helena were joined in an official marriage, on the grounds that the sources claiming an official marriage are more reliable.[15]. The church of Sant'Elena in Venice claims to have the complete body of the saint enshrined under the main altar. A new constitution which came into force in 2009 changed the name of the territory to "Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha"; however, the Governor's title remained as the "Governor of Saint Helena". [11] The precise legal nature of the relationship between Helena and Constantius is also unknown. Under the St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009, an Acting Governor is appointed when the office of Governor is vacant or the Governor is unable to fulfil his or her duties long term. ", Lenski, Noel.

"The Empress Helena, Helenopolis, Pylae. St Helen's Chapel in Colchester was believed to have been founded by Helena herself, and since the 15th century, the town's coat of arms has shown a representation of the True Cross and three crowned nails in her honour. Bishop Ambrose of Milan, writing in the late 4th century was the first to call her a stabularia, a term translated as "stable-maid" or "inn-keeper". "from the outset", "from the beginning") may have been taken as an allusion to his birth ("from his beginning") although it was actually discussing the beginning of his reign.

"[23] According to tradition, Helena ordered the temple torn down and, according to the legend that arose at the end of the 4th century, chose a site to begin excavating, which led to the recovery of three different crosses. [17] At the time, she was in Naissus (Niš, Serbia).

She is given the name Eilan and depicted as a trained priestess of Avalon. The Deputy must follow any instructions issued by the Governor. In the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches, the feast of Meskel, which commemorates her discovery of the cross, is celebrated on 17 Meskerem in the Ethiopian calendar (September 27, Gregorian calendar, or on 28 September in leap years). Constantine & Helen, A Treasury of Martyrs and Saints: Saint Helen, and Emperor Constantine the Great, Saint Eleanor Catholic Church (Ruidoso, NM) & Saint Jude Catholic Mission (San Patricio, NM): St Helena, Holy Monastery of St. Catherine at Mount Sinai: Saint Helen and the Holy Monastery of Sinai, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Helena_(empress)&oldid=978154654, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 21 May (Orthodox, Anglican, and most Lutheran Churches), Elliott, T. G. "Constantine's Conversion: Do We Really Need It? Local tradition holds that she imported hundreds of cats from Egypt or Palestine in the fourth century to rid a monastery of snakes. [8] Other sources, especially those written after Constantine's proclamation as emperor, gloss over or ignore her background.[7]. This time last year my wife and I remember the wonderful inauguration and reception given to us by the community on St Helena and the warm wishes of welcome from Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Catholic Church, and the Anglican Communion revere her as a saint; the Lutheran Church commemorates her. [13], Some scholars, such as the historian Jan Drijvers, assert that Constantius and Helena were joined in a common-law marriage, a cohabitation recognized in fact but not in law. Jerusalem was still being rebuilt following the destruction caused by Titus in 70 AD. It may arise from the similarly named Welsh princess Saint Elen (alleged to have married Magnus Maximus and to have borne a son named Constantine) or from the misinterpretation of a term used in the fourth chapter of the panegyric on Constantine's marriage with Fausta. It is unknown where she first met Constantius. Next to her is the sarcophagus of her granddaughter Constantina (Saint Constance). Anglican churches, and some Lutheran churches, keep the 21 May date. The description of Constantine honoring Britain oriendo (lit. [2] The Governor of Saint Helena nonetheless is the British monarch's representative across the territory. This the queen (Helena) had destroyed. [22] According to Eusebius, "[t]here was a temple of Venus on the spot. However, little is known of her early life. [30] Constantine was with his father when he died in York, but neither had spent much time in Britain. [3] There was also a Helenopolis in Palestine[4] and a Helenopolis in Lydia. To use their miraculous power to aid her son, Helena allegedly had one placed in Constantine's helmet, and another in the bridle of his horse. If the Governor is off the island for a short time (including when s/he visits Ascension or Tristan da Cunha) or is ill for a short period, s/he may appoint anyone on St Helena to be Deputy.

[21] According to Eusebius of Caesarea (260/265 AD – 339/340 AD), who records the details of her pilgrimage to Palestine and other eastern provinces, she was responsible for the construction or beautification of two churches, the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, and the Church of Eleona on the Mount of Olives, sites of Christ's birth and ascension, respectively. Our St. Helena process server will handle your case promptly and efficiently. [10] The historian Timothy Barnes has suggested that Constantius, while serving under Emperor Aurelian, could have met her while stationed in Asia Minor for the campaign against Zenobia. Her discovery of the Cross along with Constantine is dramatised in the Santacruzan, a ritual pageant in the Philippines[citation needed]. In her final years, she made a religious tour of Syria Palaestina and Jerusalem, during which ancient tradition claims that she discovered the True Cross. Helena is the patron saint of new discoveries[citation needed]. In 326–28 AD Helena undertook a trip to Palestine. Helena never remarried and lived for a time in obscurity, though close to her only son, who had a deep regard and affection for her. Churches were also built on other sites detected by Helena. She was buried in the Mausoleum of Helena, outside Rome on the Via Labicana. Constantine was proclaimed Augustus of the Roman Empire in 306 AD by Constantius' troops after the latter had died, and following his elevation his mother was brought back to the public life in 312 AD, returning to the imperial court. Saint Helena has a known history of over 500 years since its recorded discovery by the Portuguese in 1502. [6] Since that journey has been dated to 326–28 AD, she was probably born around 246 to 248 AD. Helena's sarcophagus in the Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican Museums, Rome. The "Letter From Constantine to Macarius of Jerusalem", as presented in Eusebius' Life of Constantine, states: Sozomen and Theodoret claim that Helena also found the nails of the crucifixion. The chapel at Saint Catherine's Monastery—often referred to as the Chapel of Saint Helen—is dated to the year 330 AD. [32] Colchester Town Hall has a Victorian statue of the saint on top of its 50-metre-high (160 ft) tower. Helena was married to the Roman emperor Constantius I Chlorus, who renounced her for political reasons.When her son Constantine I the Great became emperor at York in 306, he made her empress dowager, and under his influence she later became a Christian. Her palace was later converted into the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. According to one tradition, Helena acquired the Holy Tunic on her trip to Jerusalem and sent it to Trier. Helena is also the protagonist of Louis de Wohl's novel The Living Wood, 1947, in which she is again the daughter of King Coel of Colchester. Welcome to the St Helena Government website.

Following on from St Helena becoming a crown colony in 1834, the first governor was appointed in 1836. The rope, considered to be the only relic of its kind, has been held at the Stavrovouni Monastery, which was also said to have been founded by Helena.

セントヘレナ (Saint Helena) は、南大西洋に浮かぶイギリス領の火山島。 アフリカ大陸 から 2,800 km 離れた孤島で、人口は約4,000人。 行政上は イギリスの海外領土 セントヘレナ・アセンションおよびトリスタンダクーニャ に属する一区域で、その中心地である。 [26] Her feast day in the Roman Catholic Church falls on 18 August. "The Reign of Constantine."

The statement made by English chroniclers of the Middle Ages, according to which Helena was supposed to have been the daughter of a British prince, is entirely without historical foundation. There are actually several different accounts: The purely legendary British connection is traced by A. Harbus, Last edited on 13 September 2020, at 06:42, Early centers of Christianity § Jerusalem, "May 21: Feast of the Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helen, Equal to the Apostles", http://mark-patton.blogspot.com/2015/08/ancient-skulls-and-medieval.html, https://dailyhellas.com/2017/05/15/the-holy-relics-of-saint-helen-came-to-greece-for-the-first-time-since-1211/, "Socrates and Sozomenus Ecclesiastical Histories", "Colchester In The Early Fifteenth Century", "Colchester Town Hall:: OS grid TL9925 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland – photograph every grid square! The sources are equivocal on the point, sometimes calling Helena Constantius' "wife", and sometimes, following the dismissive propaganda of Constantine's rival Maxentius,[12] calling her his "concubine". His or her responsibilities include internal security, external affairs, the administration of justice, finance, shipping, and employment and disciplinary action in respect of any public officer. The monastery is today known as "St. Nicholas of the Cats" (Greek Άγιος Νικόλαος των Γατών) and is located near Limassol.[25]. ", Rodgers, Barbara Saylor. The role of the Governor is to act as the de facto head of state as well as the de jure head of government and commander-in-chief of the territory, which consists of the islands of Saint Helena and Ascension and the group of islands of Tristan da Cunha. [29], Helena's skull relic in the crypt of Trier Cathedral, So-called "cup of Saint Helena" in the Treasury of Trier Cathedral. Helena ranks as an important figure in the history of Christianity and of the world due to her influence on her son. Before 2009 the territory was known as "Saint Helena", of which Ascension and Tristan da Cunha were dependencies. [7] Fourth-century sources, following Eutropius' Breviarium, record that she came from a humble background.