Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantinethe Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, thehardships of a journey to Jerusalem in searchof the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by theEmperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where thesaving Passion had been suffered. Thevenerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealingthe Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Ofthese, it was believed that one must be that ofour Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. Atthe inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishopof Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Crossof our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius ofJerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, "Lord have mercy." It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerableCross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in themagnificent church built by Saint Helen, untilthe year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross totheir own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.
Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.
go to link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5TAPHedR8k
go to link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5TAPHedR8k
