Saint Helena in Cyprus

St Helena visited Palestine in search of the Cross on which The Lord was crucified and to build churches in his name.She had seen a vision herself which guided her to perform this holy task.At the time she was about 80 years old and she set about this task with zeal and faith.She talked with many people who she thought could help her to find the Cross.The Cross of the Lord had been buried by the Unbelievers in a bid to wipe out all traces of Christianity.A few of the Jews knew where the Cross was buried.One of the Jews called Judas,after a divivine vision, pointed out the location to St Helena. St Helena praised him afterwards for his act. He later became a Christian Saint and became known as Kyriakos.

Above its burial ground, the Emperor Adrianos had built a temple dedicated to Venus or Aphrodite. A statue of Jupiter had been erected where the Lord was raised from the dead. It was a Jewish Custom to bury all the instruments of an execution close to the body of the executed person, as these instruments were detested.St Helena ordered this temple to be destroyed, and digging began.

Three crosses were found along with the nails used in the executions.
St Helena now had to find which the three crosses was the Cross of the Lord.Makarios, the Bishop of Jerusalem, decided that all three crosses should be laid on a woman who was extremely ill.Makarios prayed ,and when he had finished he touched all the crosses on the sick woman. The first two did nothing. Once the Cross of the Lord touched her, she was cured .On 14th September 326, the Holy Cross was placed in the Church in Jerusalem.This day is celebrated as the Second Raising of the Cross of The Lord.St Helena took part of the Cross to Rome, and part of it to Constantine, who was then in Constantinople. St Helena built a Church in Rome to house it. The Title which was placed above the Lord's head which read "The King Of The Jews," was put on top of an arch in the same church. She also took one of the Nails used in the Crucifixion to her son Constantine. He had it placed in his crown.

St Helena then set off for Constantinople.She was forced to land in Cyprus due to bad weather.Cyprus was in a bad way. It had not rained for a very long time-some 36 years.The land was filled with snakes, and many of the inhabitants had fled elsewhere.An angel appeared to her and told her that it was God's will that she should build some churches in Cyprus, so that the Lord's name would be known there too.The Holy Cross itself miraculously found its way to Mount Olympos, revealing to St Helena where a church should be built.Here she built Stavrovouni.She built other churches at Tochni and Omodos.She left part of the rope used to tie the Lord In Omodos.

She brought a ship load of cats to Cyprus which ate the snakes. Rain fell again, the inhabitants returned, and God's blessing returned to Cyprus once more.The inhabitants of the island celebrate the building of Stavrovouni on 14 September-the day set aside for the Holy cross.

 

 


Poem to St Helena

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Last Published:27/08/06
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