Helen lived and died in the third century, she was mother of Emperor Contantine the Great both he and Helen were converts to Christianity. History and tradition indicate that she founded several churches in the Roman empire and favoured the spread of the Christian faith. As the emperor's mother, and at his request, she journeyed to Palestine in search of the holy places associated with Jesus' life. Her son had ordered the building of the Holy Sepulchre over the place where Jesus died and during that excavation tradition says that Helen found Jesus' cross.