Saint Helena Novena
Contents
Show HideSaint Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great and an empress of the Holy Roman Empire. She is credited with uncovering the True Cross in Jerusalem. Through her discovery, devotion and reverence for the cross as a symbol of God’s love for us spread throughout the world.
While her life is in many ways shrouded in mystery and legend, Saint Helena became an example of piety and charity, as well as faithfulness, to God even when facing a seemingly impossible task. Ask for her intercession so that you may also embrace the cross in all circumstances.
About Saint Helena
Very little is known about the early life of St. Helena. She was likely born in the middle of the third century near Drepanum in Asia Minor (later called Helenopolis).
She came from a low-class family and was described by St. Ambrose as a "good stable-maid."
Despite her humble background, St. Helena married Constantius Chlorus, one of the emperors of the Roman Empire who later divorced her in order to marry Theodora, the stepdaughter of Emperor Maximinianus Herculius, in order to advance his political career. The couple had one son—Constantine the Great—who remained faithfully devoted to his mother.
In 308, Constantine succeeded his father and bestowed upon Helena the title of Augusta, making her the empress dowager. He ordered all to honor his mother and even had coins made bearing her image. Helena, influenced by her son, became a Christian and became known for her piety and her works of charity.
Christian historian Eusebius wrote of the saint: “She became under his influence such a devout servant of God, that one might believe her to have been from her very childhood a disciple of the Redeemer of mankind."
Not only did she fully embrace and live the Christian life, but she also helped to further the spread of Christianity. She built churches in the cities of the West, most notably at Rome and Trier, and at holy sites in the Middle East like the Church of the Nativity and the Church of Eleona on the Mount of Olives.
She also was tasked with uncovering important relics.
During her trip to Jerusalem, Helena ordered the destruction of a temple dedicated to Venus that had been built over the site of Jesus’ death. She chose a site to be excavated leading to the discovery of three crosses.
According to Tradition, Helena brought a dying woman to touch the three crosses. Nothing happened when this woman touched the first two crosses, but when she laid her hand on the third, she experienced a miraculous healing and full recovery. Helena declared this cross to be the True Cross, and Constantine ordered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to be built at the site.
It is also believed that she found other relics, including parts of Jesus' tunic, the nails used at the crucifixion, and pieces of the rope used to tie Jesus to the cross.
St. Helena died around the year 330 and was buried outside of Rome.
Saint Helena’s Feast Day: August 18
Why Pray the Saint Helena Novena?
St. Helena is the patron saint of difficult marriages and divorced people. Having suffered the pain of a broken marriage, St. Helena can provide prayer and support to you or a loved one who is currently navigating a difficult marriage or those going through a divorce.
She is also a patron for converts, as her own conversion had a profound effect not only on her but on the Church as a whole. If you or someone you know has recently entered the Church or is currently preparing to enter, pray to St. Helena to inspire you to a wholehearted pursuit of truth.
Having searched for and uncovered the True Cross, St. Helena is also the patroness of archaeologists.
You can pray the Saint Helena Novena for any intention!
Saint Helena Novena Prayers
Saint Helena Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Helena, you were born into a humble family, diligently worked as a “stable maid,” and were unaware of the great life awaiting you. While you had not yet come to know Christ, you embodied modesty and natural virtue.
These early years of your life, although lost to history, no doubt prepared you to excel in the Christian life and to maintain the virtue of humility throughout your life, despite the lofty status to which you would be raised.
Help me grow in humility and virtue so that I might not seek out glory in this world but desire only to submit myself to the will of God and allow Him to work through me as He wishes. Please pray for the special intention that I bring to you in this novena…
(Mention your intentions here)
Jesus Christ, through Your cross You brought salvation to all people and it remains as a sign of Your profound love for each of us. Through Your servant Helena, the True Cross was revealed bringing about a renewed and widespread devotion to You; through her intercession, please bring about a renewal and conversion in my heart.
St. Helena, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saint Helena Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Helena, despite your humble parentage and perhaps because of the virtue you displayed, you caught the eye of a powerful ruler. You became his wife not knowing the difficulty you would face in your vocation. You made space for the Lord to bring out light from the darkness.
As I pursue holiness in my own vocation, I know that I will also face challenges and seasons of suffering. Teach me to cling to God in these moments and point me to God’s light when I feel myself stumbling in the dark.
Pray for all married couples, especially those facing major obstacles or on the brink of divorce and bring God’s healing to those who need it. Pray that the Church might be filled with strong couples and families so that they may witness the Lord’s goodness and love.
Pray also for my special intention…
(Mention your intentions here)
Jesus Christ, through Your cross You brought salvation to all people and it remains as a sign of Your profound love for each of us. Through Your servant Helena, the True Cross was revealed, bringing about a renewed and widespread devotion to You; through her intercession, please bring about a renewal and conversion in my heart.
St. Helena, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saint Helena Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Helena, you became a mother to Constantine who would one day become emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
Despite the challenges you faced in your marriage, you remained steadfast in your duties as a mother. Because of the love you gave your son throughout his life and the faithfulness in your role, you were honored with the title of “Augusta”—great, majestic, and venerable.
Please pray for all parents and their children that they might build strong relationships and together build up a culture of life and love in the world, particularly in the Church and within their communities. Please pray also for the intention that I now bring to you…
(Mention your intentions here)
Jesus Christ, through Your cross You brought salvation to all people and it remains as a sign of Your profound love for each of us. Through Your servant Helena, the True Cross was revealed, bringing about a renewed and widespread devotion to You; through her intercession, please bring about a renewal and conversion in my heart.
St. Helena, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saint Helena Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Helena, through the conversion of your son Constantine the Great, you were brought to Christianity. You encountered Christ, wholeheartedly embracing Him and the Christian life conversion demands. You were so devout that those around you marveled that you had not been a disciple of Jesus all your life.
Help me emulate your sincere and radical devotion; increase my zeal for Christ and His Church. Please pray for all those who do not know Christ and those in need of conversion both outside and within the Church.
Pray also for my special intention…
(Mention your intentions here)
Jesus Christ, through Your cross You brought salvation to all people and it remains as a sign of Your profound love for each of us. Through Your servant Helena, the True Cross was revealed, bringing about a renewed and widespread devotion to You; through her intercession, please bring about a renewal and conversion in my heart.
St. Helena, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saint Helena Novena - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Helena, after your wholehearted conversion, you turned all of your attention to God. You prayed frequently and set out on pilgrimages, endowed and adorned the churches you visited, and made the beauty of the Church more apparent.
Allow me to learn from your great piety and lavish charity so that I may follow your example. Let my mind never stray from thoughts of Him that is truth, goodness, and beauty, and keep my eyes forever fixed on my eternal home so that I may one day adore God alongside you. Help me glorify God in all I think, do, and say.
Pray also for the special intention I bring to you today…
(Mention your intentions here)
Jesus Christ, through Your cross You brought salvation to all people and it remains as a sign of Your profound love for each of us. Through Your servant Helena, the True Cross was revealed, bringing about a renewed and widespread devotion to You; through her intercession, please bring about a renewal and conversion in my heart.
St. Helena, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saint Helena Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Helena, you put your many gifts at the disposal of God; you used your influence to continue the spread of Christianity across the empire. You used your riches to build churches and aid the poor and you used your power to once more dedicate holy sites back to Christ and His Church.
Through your generosity and your conviction, you established places of worship and prayer—homes for the souls wandering on this earth looking for the source of all beauty and life.
Help me be a beacon of God’s light in my community. Reveal to me the gifts I have to offer and instruct me on how to use them to build up the Church. Whatever influence I hold, may I use it to bring the Good News and plant the seed for true conversion.
Please pray for an increase in the virtue of courage for me and for fertile soil in the hearts of those I encounter. Pray also for this intention near to my heart…
(Mention your intentions here)
Jesus Christ, through Your cross You brought salvation to all people and it remains as a sign of Your profound love for each of us. Through Your servant Helena, the True Cross was revealed, bringing about a renewed and widespread devotion to You; through her intercession, please bring about a renewal and conversion in my heart.
St. Helena, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saint Helena Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Helena, you went on a mission to uncover the cross on which Jesus died for our sins. You followed in Christ’s footsteps, performing many acts of kindness as you went, arriving finally at Golgotha. You brought down the temple of a false god to unearth the sign of our salvation.
Because of your faithfulness, God revealed to you the True Cross with a miracle. Devotion to the cross spread far and wide.
Teach me to seek the cross of Christ when all feels lost and help me to embrace my own cross when God invites me to follow Jesus. Instruct me on how I can spread devotion to the cross and share God’s love with all.
Please pray for my special intention…
(Mention your intentions here)
Jesus Christ, through Your cross You brought salvation to all people and it remains as a sign of Your profound love for each of us. Through Your servant Helena, the True Cross was revealed, bringing about a renewed and widespread devotion to You; through her intercession, please bring about a renewal and conversion in my heart.
St. Helena, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saint Helena Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Helena, you seemingly disappeared from history after your discovery of the True Cross. You retreated into the shadow of the cross, allowing the glory of God to illuminate your life and your story.
Pray for an increase of humility in my heart that I may not desire fame or notoriety but only to do the will of God. Help me follow your example and reflect the light of Christ back into the world.
Pray that I may find peace and rest in the shadow of the cross and pray also for the special intention that I bring to you today…
(Mention your intentions here)
Jesus Christ, through Your cross You brought salvation to all people and it remains as a sign of Your profound love for each of us. Through Your servant Helena, the True Cross was revealed, bringing about a renewed and widespread devotion to You; through her intercession, please bring about a renewal and conversion in my heart.
St. Helena, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saint Helena Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Helena, while much of your story has been lost to time, time will never forget the legacy you left the Church and the world. Your faithfulness, your piety, and your charity built up the treasury of the Church here on earth and brought about a renewed love for Christ’s sacrifice.
Let my legacy, like yours, be one of love. Pray for me, that I may die a happy death in friendship with God and help escort me to my heavenly home when my time on earth is finished.
Please pray also for the special intention that I have brought to you each day of this novena and see it through to its happy end…
(Mention your intentions here)
Jesus Christ, through Your cross You brought salvation to all people and it remains as a sign of Your profound love for each of us. Through Your servant Helena, the True Cross was revealed, bringing about a renewed and widespread devotion to You; through her intercession, please bring about a renewal and conversion in my heart.
St. Helena, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.