St. Helena's discovery of the Holy Cross

Source: bibliotheque-monastique.ch

This precious wood of the Cross remained hidden underground for two hundred years and more; but it was discovered as follows by Helene, the mother of Emperor Constantine…

Helena, upon arriving in Jerusalem, gathered around her the scholars that could be found throughout the whole region…

After that, Judas girded himself and began to dig with courage. When he had reached a depth of twenty cubits, he found three crosses buried, which he immediately brought to the queen. Now, since no one knew how to distinguish that of Jesus Christ from those of the thieves, they were placed in the middle of the city to await the manifestation of God’s glory.

Around the eleventh hour, the body of a young man being carried to burial passed by: Judas stopped the coffin, placed the first and a second cross on the corpse of the deceased, who did not rise again; then they brought the third cross near the body and instantly he came back to life…