Friday, February 29, 2008

Lunchtime read: Helena

Helena seems to be settling for a quiet life but her son arrives with wife and his own child in tow and tells her that they have to move. The Roman Empire is once again turning in on itself and Helena is in danger because her husband from all those years ago is Caesar in the West.

But the politics soon die down and the main issue becomes the question of the rise of the Christians. Helena’s old tutor arrives in town preaching his own strand of religion and those around the Empress are all dealing with their own beliefs. The news arrives that her son has become a Christian and declared that it is not longer a crime. Soon Helena is baptised and those who know about the history of the Church and of Christ will soon be released and in a position to take Helena to the secret holy sites.

In the meantime she has a visit, her first, to Rome to make and the seventy-year old surprises everyone by accepting the invitation.

More to come…