Meskel: Saint Helena's True Cross



Saint Helena (Da Conegliano)

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Saint Helena was born approximately mid-third century CE, perhaps in what is now northwestern Turkey.  She is believed by some to be of humble origins; St. Ambrose referred to her as a stabularia (inn-keeper) in his Oratio de obitu Theodosii.

Legend has it that when Saint Helena first met future Roman Emperor Constantius I (perhaps while he was stationed in Asia Minor during the campaign against Zenobia), both were wearing the same type of silver bracelet.  Constantius allegedly took this as a sign that Helena was his divinely-ordained soulmate.  Although Wikipedia states that “the precise legal nature” of their relationship is unknown; the Catholic Encyclopedia states that Helena “became the lawful wife of Constantius Chlorus.”

Their son, the future Constantine the Great, was born circa 272 CE in Serbia.  However, by about 289 CE, Constantius left Helena in order to marry the more politically-beneficial Theodora, daughter of then-Emperor Maximian.  Wikipedia reports that Helena and their son Constantine were then “dispatched to the court of

Diocletian at Nicomedia…”  Helena “never remarried,” and became closer than ever with her only son, Constantine.

When Constantine eventually became emperor, he appointed Helena as Augusta Imperatrix.  Along with this title came “unlimited access to the imperial treasury in order to locate the relics of Judeo-Christian tradition.”  According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, when Helena was about 80 years old, she was shown by a divinely-inspired Jew just where the True Cross that Jesus was crucified upon was hidden.  When that site was excavated, three crosses were found.  In order to determine which was the True Cross, Helena is said to have brought all three to the bedside of a dying woman.  After trying all three, Helena found that only one

of these crosses instantly healed the woman.  The identity of the True Cross was thus established.

Meskel (meaning “cross” in the ancient South Semitic language Ge’ez) is the annual Ethiopian Orthodox and

Eritrean Orthodox holiday that commemorates Saint Helena’s discovery of the True Cross.  According to

Ethiopian tradition, “Queen Eleni” was led to the True Cross by the smoke from a burning bonfire (Demera).

Bonfires are therefore integral to Meskel celebrations.

Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meskel

http://www.ethioembassy.org.uk/articles/articles/focus%20electronic-00/Ermias%20Gulilat%20-%201.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_(Empress)

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07202b.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04517a.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantius_I

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great

Copyright September 27, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved