We don't know where or when she was born, but East Anglians always claim her as having been the daughter of the British King Coel (Old King Cole himself!) at Colchester. Some historians say she was from Bithynia (modern Turkey) and was born around 255. It is certain she married Constantius Chlorus, who later became Emperor, and they lived for a time at Nis (now in Serbia) where their son Constantine was born in 274. Chlorus abandoned them in 292 'for political reasons'. When Constantine went away to the Roman army she moved to a 'dower house' near Diocletian's palace in Dalmatia (now near Split in Croatia). It isn't clear when Helen became a Christian, but when her son was proclaimed Emperor at York in 306 he accorded his mother the title of Dowager Empress; and six years later, when Constantine extended religious tolerance to Christianity, Helen devoted all her influence to the promotion of it. Helen was at Rome in 326 for Constantine's triumph after the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (where he had a vision of the Cross, and an inner locution told him that "In this sign you will conquer") and soon after, well into old age, she went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, building churches in the Holy Places as she went. She is chiefly remembered for discovering the relic of the True Cross. This was in a sewer beneath a pagan temple built on the site of Golgotha, and was distinguished from the other two by its miraculous powers of healing when laid on a sick woman who happened to be present. (Another colourful legend states that the wood for the Cross was taken from the remains of the Tree of Life which stood in the middle of the Garden of Eden - the very same one that the apple came from!)

St Helen features in the earliest surviving complete piece of English vernacular poetry - "The Finding of the True Cross" - dating from the 11th century. She is greatly venerated in both the Western and Eastern Rites, and the Orthodox Churches venerate Constantine with her too. There is much extraordinary folklore associated with them, perhaps the strangest from the Bulgarian village of Bulgari. There the two saints are associated with the weather, especially hail, which they are supposed to carry in their robes. As Bulgari is in a wine-growing region, and hail damages grapes, the villagers perform a Fire Dance - dancing barefoot on hot coals while holding icons of St Helen and Constantine aloft - every year in June to propitiate the saints. There is a great devotion to the 'Reyna Elena' in the Philippines as well at the 'Santacruzan' festivals in May - the Festival of the Holy Cross celebrating St Helen's great discovery. At Pola (Mindoro) and other places children from 8 years upwards go in procession representing biblical and allegorical figures culminating in the appearance of St Helen -traditionally the prettiest girl in the town - and 'Principe' Constantine, who are showered with flower petals (although unauthorized and more substantial things may be added to the mix by their classmates!). They are followed by a brass band and the statue of Our Lady on a decorated float while the 'Ave Maria' is sung.

In 1950 the great British Catholic writer Evelyn Waugh wrote "Helena" - a splendid and imaginative novel based on the life of St Helen, which is still in print.

Until quite recently the little church of St Helen at Hoveton was the only Catholic church in the British Isles with St Helen as its single titular patron. She is also titular patron of the new cathedral at Brentwood, which includes Colchester. A statue of her may be seen on top of the tower of the Town Hall in Colchester, holding the Cross and facing towards Jerusalem.

Nick Walmsley (February 2005)