St. Helena Coloring Page
This St. Helena coloring page shows the Roman empress in a crown and royal robes, holding a tall wooden cross, with a church and the hills of the Holy Land behind. The PDF is free to print. Helena was the mother of Constantine and went on a famous pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The story of St. Helena
Helena was born about 1,800 years ago into a poor family. St. Ambrose wrote that she worked at an inn, where travelers stopped to eat and sleep. She met a Roman soldier named Constantius, and they had a baby boy named Constantine.
Little Constantine grew up to become the emperor of the whole Roman Empire! He was the first emperor to become a Christian, and he let Christians worship freely. Helena became a Christian too, and she loved God with all her heart. Her son gave her the title of empress.
When Helena was almost eighty years old, she did something brave. She went on a long journey to the Holy Land, to see the places where Jesus was born, lived, died and rose. She built a church over the cave in Bethlehem where Jesus was born, and another on the Mount of Olives. Along the way she gave money and clothes to the poor and helped prisoners.
Christians later told a story that Helena searched for the cross of Jesus in Jerusalem. The story says that workers dug deep into the ground and found three crosses. A very sick woman touched each one, and when she touched the third cross, she was healed! Then they knew it was the cross of Jesus. We call this story traditional, because it was written down years after Helena died.
St. Helena is the patron saint of converts, people who become Christians later in life, as she did. She is shown with her son, St. Constantine, in many icons.
What to color
- Helena's crown: gold with red, blue and green jewels, because she was an empress.
- Her cloak: purple or red, the colors of royalty.
- Her robe: white or gold.
- The tall cross: brown wood, for the True Cross.
- The church: tan or white stone with a dome, like the churches she built.
- The hills and olive trees: tan and silvery green, the land of Jesus.
A prayer to pray together
On the feast of the Holy Cross, many Catholics pray, "We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You, because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world." Children can add:
St. Helena, pray for us, and help us to love the cross of Jesus.
Ideas for families and classrooms
- Color this page on August 18, St. Helena's feast, or on September 14, the feast of the Holy Cross.
- Go on a mini pilgrimage: walk to your parish church and pray there together.
- Make a cross from two sticks tied with string, and hang it in your room.
- Talk about it: Helena became a Christian when she was older. Do you know someone who came to believe in Jesus as a grown-up?
Read the full story: St. Helena in the encyclopedia.
Frequently asked questions
What colors should I use for St. Helena?
Helena was an empress, so give her rich royal colors: a purple or red cloak, a white or gold robe and a gold crown with colored jewels. The cross is brown wood, the hills tan and the olive trees silvery green.
Why does St. Helena hold a cross?
An old Christian tradition says Helena found the True Cross of Jesus in Jerusalem. Historians are not sure who found it, but the cross became her sign in art, East and West.
Was St. Helena really an empress?
Yes. She was born poor, but her son Constantine became the Roman emperor, and in 324 he gave her the title Augusta, empress.
Is this coloring page free for schools?
Yes. Print as many copies as you need for your home, classroom or parish.