Letter from the saint Papa to the queen Helena

To the blessed mother, the believing queen Helena, Papa servant of Jesus and worshipper and devotee of His cross. Peace.

My lady queen, these [things] that you seek from us, our mental faculties are not sufficient to reach [an idea of] what is useful and [then] to write to you, because the Christians of our region glorify themselves in poverty, chains and in [their] various sufferings. And a small hut is large as our house of prayer; and [this] not because we are lazy and negligent concerning the buildings, but so that the jealousy of the pagans does not act wickedly against us because of the greatness [of our] buildings; the catechizing of Christianity is absent because of the danger of persecutions raised against us. And we are compelled to keep safe the liturgical office that you sent to us, but we are afraid to offer it openly and to perform the office according to its rite, lest it is taken away from us with pretexts. And it is not only the pagans that we fear, but also the Jews and Marcionites, who, as they were oppressed in your jurisdiction from the authority of your kingdom, flee in this region of ours, and they came here before your decree. They have entirely increased enmity, and they hated us. And every time, they set against us clear pretexts, and they accuse us in the secular tribunals. We briefly delineated to your majesty these things about us – in order to write and let you know, as one who is sick with a disease [informs] his physician of his pain and his illness; and when the wise physician see if there is hope22 for him, he knows the cure that is good for him – those [things] that are put under your authority in our regions. And the authority, the wisdom, the arm, the heroism and the victory of Christ [are] with you. It is right for you to examine according to your knowledge and to understand23 according to your authority. Inform us who are foreigners what you think you could do to help. My lady, we receive the good will of your majesty as a gift greater than building churches. And also in you we glorify God Lord Christ, and with supplications, fervent prayer24, love and with the fear that comes from the anxiety of the heart, we offer a prayer for you in the Church of God; and especially me, the poor and sinner Papa, and the least of all the disciples of Christ, with sad tears I supplicate the Lord to command (sic25) his right hand upon you, and to command to his holy angels to guard you in all your ways (cf. Ps 91 [90], 11), and as a shepherd who carries his lambs and his sheep on his shoulders, so you will carry the sons of the Church on the shoulders of your authority. And all the believers, in the institution of your regality, will take courage and in you will be strengthened all the Christians who inhabits the habitable world. A salutation, through a writing of my own hand, I, Papa, send to your believing majesty. May the Cross of our Savior Christ, through which your majesty has been exalted and became great, guard the whole church that is under the heaven. Amen.