Letter of the queen Helena to Papa bar Aggai

To the high priest of Christ and pure temple, the dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit, my lord Mar Papa, patriarch of the East; your servant Helena, in supplication, offers adoration to your holy feet.

How shall I recompense the Lord of all his gifts [given] to me, that a sinful woman like me with parrhesia can write and send letter and sacra (i.e. imperial rescripts) to saints and priests like you. I have learned, my lord, from David, the [man after] God’s own heart, who said: I will glorify the Lord with my life, and I will sing to my God as long as I exist (cf. Ps 146, 2). My lord, I have meditated as well within myself that as Christ designated all this greatness for us and gave my son Constantine victory over all his enemies, through [his] power and aid, and through his great sign of the Cross that [was] in a revelation that [he had] from the sky that the enemy armies were defeated, and through the horn of the holy Church was exalted, I desire as well to make great the name of Christ in every land through the churches that I build, and through the honor and the decoration of adornments in every way, with the honorable liturgical office of the priests and the hospitality for the poor. Now, my lord, inform me, a sinner, in your writings, through your son and disciple the holy Jacob bishop of Nisibis whether there is anything useful [I could] to provide in your region, or how many churches would be advantageous to build, and whether there is anything that impedes or this or not. And pray for us, and for my son, the king Constantine, and for his entire government, that, through your prayers, he may greatly and fully prosper in everything he does.