The relics of Empress Elena, brought to Romania

The whole relics of the Holy Empress Elena, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, will be brought, from Wednesday to May 8, in the pilgrimage in Venice at the Pantocrator Monastery in Teleorman, for a few hours to be placed for worship in the canopy of the saints in the proximity of the Patriarchal Cathedral.

‘It is a significant year for the Romanian Orthodox Church – we have 140 years from Autocephaly, 100 years of patriarchy and 1,700 years since the first Ecumenical Synod in Nicaea, from 325. With the help of God and with the blessing of the Most Blessed Patriarch Daniel, at the Pantocrator Monastery will continue the tradition of the Miron. Because we, here, in the Pantocrator Monastery, have a tradition of pilgrimage to the Sunday of Mironosites. Why this? Because the main protector of the monastery is the Holy Mironosiță, and just with the apostles, Maria Magdalena. (…) This year is a special year, because we will have the joy of having, here, the whole body of Saint Empress Elena, the mother of Saint Constantine ‘, declared, for Agerpresrecently, the administrative vicar of the Bishopric of Alexandria and Teleorman, Serafim Baciu.

Although the saint was initially buried in Rome, her holy relics were moved to Constantinople, and in 1211 they were taken to Venice by the Crusader Knights, only in 2017, which were first released in Greece, informs the Basilica Agency of the Romanian Patriarchate.

Thus, Romania becomes the second Orthodox country that hosts the relics of Saint Emperor Elena from moving to the West. The event takes place in the context of the annual pilgrimage organized at the Pantocrator Monastery on the occasion of the Sunday of Mironosițe women.

According to the quoted source, the program of the liturgical event held on Wednesday, at the Patriarchal Cathedral is the following:

* 2:00 pm – the arrival of the delegation that will bring to Romania the rack that houses the honest body of Saint Empress Elena;

*14: 30 – 15:00 – travel to the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest;

* 15:00 – arrival of the delegation and the holy relics at the Patriarchal Cathedral;

* 15:10 -15: 30 -committing a specific job in the Patriarchal Cathedral;

* 15:30 -18: 00 -the settlement of the holy relics, for worship, in the canopy of the saints in the proximity of the Patriarchal Cathedral;

* 18:00-the departure of the holy relics from the Patriarchal Cathedral to the Pantocrator Monastery from Drăgănești-Vlașca;

At the Pantocrator Monastery, the delegation of the Patriarchate of Venice and the honest relics of Saint Empress Elena will be welcomed by the bishop of Alexandria and Teleorman, the Most Holy Father Galaction.

According to the Press Office of the Episcopate of Alexandria and Teleorman, starting on Wednesday and until May 8, the Pantocrator Monastery will be permanently opened for pilgrims.

***
The mother of Saint Emperor Constantine the Great, Saint Elena, attached to the values ​​of the Christian religion, lived almost two millennia ago, between 250 and 330 AD. Through her desire was discovered the place of Golgotha ​​and the wood of the cross on which Christ was crucified was found.

Saint Empress Elena raised places of worship for Christians both in Jerusalem and other holy places, but first wishing to build, in Jerusalem, the Church of the Resurrection, built above the Holy Sepulcher.

For the great contribution to the spread and flowering of Christianity, Constantine and his mother, Elena, were passed by the Orthodox Church among the saints and are counted ‘just with the apostles’.

Venice houses the relics of Holy Empress Elena, the mother of Saint Constantine. When he died, the empress was buried in Rome, then her body was transferred to Constantinople. In 1211 the relics of Saint Elena were stolen by the Venetians, during one of the crusades. Since then, the relics have remained in Venice.

Saint Empress Elena is celebrated in the Romanian Orthodox Church and in the Romanian, Greek-Catholic Romanian Church, on May 21, together with Saint Emperor Constantine the Great. In the Roman Catholic Church it is celebrated on August 18th.