Object ID
1993.72
Object Name
Icon
Object Entities
Constantine, St. (is related to)
Helen, St. (is related to)
Monastery, Holy (is related to)
Pappamikos, Venetia (is related to)
Helen, St. (is related to)
Monastery, Holy (is related to)
Pappamikos, Venetia (is related to)
Object Description
Wooden icon of St Constantine and St Helen, painted in very bright colors. Constantine is on the left, holding an arrow in one hand. He is wearing a jeweled crown and gold and read robes. Helen is on the right, with an open left hand, also wearing a jeweled crown and gold and blue robes. They are both holding on to a large brown cross that is suspended between the two of them. There is a red and gold border around the outside.
On the back there is a return address sticker for the Holy Transfiguration Monastery at 278 Warren Street, Brookline, Mass.
On the back there is a return address sticker for the Holy Transfiguration Monastery at 278 Warren Street, Brookline, Mass.
Origin
The Church calls St Constantine (306-337) “the Equal of the Apostles,” and historians call him “the Great.” He was the son o the Caesar Constantius Chlorus (305-306), who governed the lands of Gaul and Britain. His mother was St Helen, a Christian of humble birth.
While in Palestine, the holy empress did much of benefit for the Church. She ordered that all places connected with the earthly life of the Lord and His All-Pure Mother, should be freed of all traces of paganism, and she commanded that churches should be built at these places.
The emperor Constantine ordered a magnificent church in honor of Christ’s Resurrection to be built over His tomb. St Helen gave the Life-Creating Cross to the Patriarch for safe-keeping, and took part of the Cross with her for the emperor. After distributing generous alms at Jerusalem and feeding the needy (at times she even served them herself), the holy Empress Helen returned to Constantinople, where she died in the year 327. Because of her great services to the Church and her efforts in finding the Life-Creating Cross, the empress Helen is called “the Equal of the Apostles.”
While in Palestine, the holy empress did much of benefit for the Church. She ordered that all places connected with the earthly life of the Lord and His All-Pure Mother, should be freed of all traces of paganism, and she commanded that churches should be built at these places.
The emperor Constantine ordered a magnificent church in honor of Christ’s Resurrection to be built over His tomb. St Helen gave the Life-Creating Cross to the Patriarch for safe-keeping, and took part of the Cross with her for the emperor. After distributing generous alms at Jerusalem and feeding the needy (at times she even served them herself), the holy Empress Helen returned to Constantinople, where she died in the year 327. Because of her great services to the Church and her efforts in finding the Life-Creating Cross, the empress Helen is called “the Equal of the Apostles.”
Rights and Reproduction
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Any other use, such as exhibition, publication, or commercial use, is not allowed except by written permission in accordance with the NHM Image Rights and Reproduction Policy.
For questions on image rights and reproduction, please contact nhmcollections@hellenicmuseum.org
Citation
Icon, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/10617. Accessed 04/19/24.