Helena’s Two Churches

Without delay she dedicated two churches to the God she worshiped, one at the grotto that had been the scene of the Savior’s birth, the other on the mountain of his ascension. For he who was “God with us” had submitted to be born even in a cave under the earth, and the place of his birth was called Bethlehem by the Hebrews. So the devout empress honored with rare memorials the place where the mother of this heavenly child gave birth, and beautified the sacred cave with every possible splendor. Soon afterward the emperor himself showed his reverence for the spot with princely offerings, and added to his mother’s magnificence costly gifts of silver and gold and embroidered hangings. Further, the emperor’s mother raised a stately building on the Mount of Olives too, in memory of the ascent to heaven of him who is the Savior of mankind, putting up a sacred church and temple on the very summit of the mountain. And indeed reliable history tells us that in this very cave the Savior shared his secret revelations with his disciples. Here too the emperor showed his reverence for the King of kings with many and costly offerings. So Helena Augusta, the devout mother of a devout emperor, raised over the two mystic caves these two noble and beautiful monuments of devotion, worthy of everlasting remembrance, to the honor of God her Savior and as proofs of her holy zeal, with her son lending her the help of his imperial power. Nor was it long before this aged woman reaped the due reward of her labors. She had passed her whole life, even to old age, in the greatest prosperity, and had shown in word and deed abundant fruit of obedience to the divine commands, and as a result she had enjoyed an easy and peaceful life, with her powers of body and mind unimpaired. At last she received from God an end worthy of her devout course, and a reward for her good deeds even in this present life. [a]