St. Helen, Empress (18 August): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

From The Lives of the Saints by Father Alban Butler comes the extraordinary story of St. Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine and one of the most celebrated Christian women of the Roman Empire. The account describes traditions concerning her British origins and her role in the early life of Constantine. After embracing the Christian Faith, St. Helen became renowned for her fervent piety, generosity to the poor, devotion to the Divine Office, and support for churches and religious life. Even as Empress, she lived with remarkable humility, serving religious persons, assisting the poor, freeing the oppressed, and using the wealth of the Empire for works of charity. At an advanced age she journeyed to the Holy Land, where the search was undertaken for the Cross upon which Our Lord Jesus Christ had died. According to the account, three crosses were discovered, and a miraculous healing identified the True Cross. St. Helen built magnificent churches at the holy places and continued to honor Christ through her works of faith and charity. Her name is commemorated in the Roman Martyrology on August 18. 🙏 St. Helen, pray for us. 00:00 St. Helen, Empress — August 18 00:38 Traditions Concerning St. Helen’s Origins 01:51 St. Helen and Constantius 02:06 The Roman Empire in the Age of Diocletian 04:35 The Division of the Roman Empire 05:29 St. Helen and the Rise of Constantine 05:54 Constantine and Christianity 07:33 St. Helen’s Conversion 08:18 Her Extraordinary Christian Zeal 08:40 Humility, Prayer and Charity 09:10 Constantine’s Wars and the Cross 10:05 Prayer, Fasting and the Imperial Standard 11:03 Council of Nicaea and Jerusalem 11:18 St. Helen Journeys to the Holy Land 12:09 The Search for the True Cross 12:25 Three Crosses Are Discovered 12:55 The Miracle Identifying the True Cross 13:21 St. Helen Venerates the Cross of Christ 13:39 The Relic of the True Cross 14:04 The Cross Sent to Constantine 14:46 Churches Built by St. Helen 15:02 The Empress Serves With Humility 15:39 Charity to the Poor and Oppressed 16:03 The Death of St. Helen 16:51 St. Helen in the Roman Martyrology 17:07 Miracles Through Her Intercession 17:47 Honoring the Pastors of the Church 18:49 Humility and the Sacred Ministry 19:13 Conclusion https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/august/st-helen/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 #StHelen #SaintHelen #StHelena #TrueCross #FindingOfTheTrueCross #CatholicSaints #SaintOfTheDay #LivesOfTheSaints #CatholicHistory #EmperorConstantine #ConstantineTheGreat #CatholicFaith #CatholicChurch #HolyLand #Jerusalem #ChristianHistory #CatholicTradition #TraditionalCatholic #August18 #CatholicSaint