Reliquary with the relics of St. Helena in the Trier Cathedral Pilgrims arriving in the ancient city of Trier (Rhineland-Palatinate, Federal Republic of Germany) first and foremost seek to visit the famous Cathedral of St. Peter (Dom), where its greatest sacred treasure is preserved in a special chapel—the Seamless Robe of Jesus Christ, brought from the Holy Land by the mother of Emperor Constantine, St. Empress Helena. In the crypt (Helenakrypta) are also kept the relics (head) of St. Helena herself.
A multilingual brochure issued by the episcopate and clergy of Trier Cathedral notes that St. Helena “donated a portion of her palace to Bishop Agritius” for use as a church, thus becoming “the foundress of this House of God”—a fact confirmed by archaeological excavations. The cathedral itself was built by order of Emperor Constantine.
During excavations beneath the current altar, a small box containing Roman ornaments (dated to 320 A.D.) was discovered. After restoration, a depiction appeared on its lid showing the head of a woman crowned with a laurel wreath and encircled by a halo. According to staff at the Episcopal Museum in Trier, where this unique historical artifact is now housed, this is a portrait of Empress Helena. Her likeness may also be seen on a sardonyx cameo adorning the cover of the so-called “Imperial Family Gospel Book” (Ada-Evangeliar), currently held in Trier’s city library.
Monuments from Roman Trier (also known as Augusta Treverorum) dating back to the time of Empress Helena remain to this day: the monumental city gate Porta Nigra, the Throne Hall of Emperor Constantine the Great (Basilika or Aula Palatina, 310 A.D.), the Imperial Baths (Kaiserthermen, first quarter of the fourth century), the amphitheater (circa 100 A.D.), and the Roman Bridge (71 A.D.). Church historians note that during the reign of Constantine the Great, Trier was “one of the most important cities in the world,” home to a large Christian community. St. Athanasius the Great, Archbishop of Alexandria, lived in exile here; and St. Ambrose of Milan, who testified to the “flourishing of monastic life” in the city, also resided here.1
Empress Helena visited the city multiple times while her son Constantine governed it. It was not without her influence that Constantine accepted the teachings of Christ. Helena did not involve herself in political affairs but wholly devoted herself to works of mercy. She was a zealous supporter of the Church, a fervent venerator of Christian holy places, and a benefactress to the poor and suffering. In Trier, she was surrounded by the love and respect of all Christians.
Already at an advanced age, St. Helena journeyed from Rome to Jerusalem at her son’s request to search for the Holy Cross on which the Lord had been crucified. Constantine made this request for a reason. On October 28, 312 A.D., at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge over the Tiber, Constantine defeated his rival Maxentius and assumed control over the Western Roman Empire. This victory was granted from above. The historian Eusebius reports that during prayer, Constantine saw in the sky “a marvelous divine sign: above the sun appeared a radiant cross with the inscription, ‘By this sign shalt thou conquer.’ His entire army witnessed this wonder…”2
In Jerusalem, Helena zealously sought out the Lord’s Cross. It was discovered beneath a pagan temple. The Empress immediately informed her son, who received the news with joy. He resolved to mark the holy site with a monument worthy of its significance. Thus, the Church of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulcher) was erected on that spot.
Through Helena’s efforts, churches were also built at other holy sites. She took great care to adorn them and provide all that was necessary for divine services. Many sacred relics were found through her diligence, including the Seamless Robe of Jesus Christ. She returned to Constantinople with a portion of the Life-Giving Cross and the nails with which the Lord’s Body had been affixed. One of these nails is kept today in the Cathedral of St. Peter in Trier.
A nail brought from Jerusalem by St. Helena
This nail is one of the treasures of the so-called “Trier Portable Altar of St. Andrew.” It is housed in a special golden reliquary shaped like a nail and adorned with precious stones (dated to 993 A.D.).
A widespread legend in Trier held that Empress Helena ordered one of the nails from the Cross of Jesus Christ to be placed in the bridle of her son Constantine’s horse, and another set into the frame of one of the imperial crowns—an account confirmed by the Italian historian Angelo Paredi.
St. Helena died at about the age of eighty, in the arms of her son, and her grandson Constantius. German historians believe that since Emperor Constantine was residing in Trier in the autumn of 328 and the beginning of 329, it was in this very city that St. Helena reposed in the Lord.3
Emperor Constantine ordered her body to be taken to Rome, where she was buried with great honor. Some sources claim her tomb was at the Church of Sts. Peter and Marcellinus, located on the road from Rome to Naples, where the cemetery of St. Helena still exists. Two years later, her relics were reportedly transferred to Constantinople. According to other sources, her sarcophagus was kept at Torra Pignattara on Via Labicana, as noted by Pope Anastasius IV in 1154.
There are also records that a portion of St. Helena’s relics came to the Roman church Santa Maria in Ara Coeli, and another portion was brought in the ninth century to the French town of Hautvillers. This is noted in the chronicle of a monk named Altmann of Hautvillers. According to the clergy of Trier Cathedral and the Episcopal Museum, the head of St. Helena has been preserved in Trier since 1356—it was a gift from King Charles IV to the cathedral and the city. In 1990, the reliquary containing her relics was adorned with a bust of the saint created by Theo Heiermann.
In modern Trier, the memory of St. Helena remains vibrant. In 1883 and 1908, two streets in Trier were named after her—Helenenstraße and St.-Helena-Straße. In the Euren district, there is an ancient church dedicated to her (Helena-Patrozinium). A church choir and a kindergarten also bear her name. In the very center of the city, on the Main Market Square, an old building is adorned with sculptural depictions of St. Helena. A large statue of the holy Empress stands in the Episcopal Garden, and several churches in Trier feature mosaics and stained-glass windows depicting scenes from the life of St. Helena.
