St. Helena was the mother of Emperor Constantine. When she was eighty years old, she went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. She was determined to find, if possible, the actual Cross upon which Jesus gave His Life to redeem us.

When she arrived at Calvary, she found that structures, which had nothing to do with Christ, had been built on that sacred mount. The holy Empress immediately ordered these buildings be torn down. Then she put a band of men to work excavating, that they might dig up Our Lord’s Cross.

It had been the custom of the Jews to bury the instruments of a criminal's death near the place of his execution. So, if the Cross was anywhere to be found, it would be somewhere on Mount Calvary itself, where Jesus died.

Eventually they found three crosses and all the other instruments of the Passion.

Our Lord had been crucified with two thieves on mount Calvary. Now that they found all three of the crosses, the question naturally arose: which was the Cross of Jesus?

No amount of examining could distinguish one cross from the others as being the True Cross. St. Helena and her companions soon realized that there was only one way they could discover which one it was.

All three crosses were carried in solemn procession to the home of a lady who was dangerously ill. The hope and prayer in all hearts was that Our Lord Himself would have mercy on this woman, and at the same time, show everyone which was the Cross that He died on for our sins.

They took the first cross, and touched it to the invalid. Our Lord, Who had worked so many miracles during His Life, could certainly cure this poor dying woman through His Holy Cross. They waited a while, but this cross had no effect on the woman. She remained just as sick as ever.

So they removed the cross, and brought the second cross up to her. This one too, had no effect when it was touched to the invalid.

All watched in eager anticipation as the third and final cross was touched to the sick lady. Imagine the joy and excitement that surged through the room as the woman was instantly restored to health.

Not only was this poor woman mercifully saved from a dangerous illness, but the True Cross of Our Lord was revealed! For all time, people from all around the world, suffering from all kinds of afflictions, may come to Our Lord, through the actual Cross on which He saved us, and there receive grace, strength, and consolation.