Part of the 'Saints Alive' series.
The saints are gurus for our times. Despite historical distance, bizarre stories about them, and their obvious human frailty, their lives reflect a deep level of truth. They have become icons to last through the ages, pointing beyond themselves to profound truths about the spiritual world and our place within it. 'Saints Alive' introduces the stories of the saints, reflects on their meaning for today and shows that true wisdom is timeless.
Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine, stands at a turning point in history. After years of persecution under the Roman Empire, Christianity had become respectable and the mainstream religion. How could suffering be interpreted in this new world? What is a true cross and what is a false cross? The life of Helena holds the key to these questions.