Helena (c. 250-330 AD) was the mother of Constantine the Great (272-337 AD), who was the first Roman emperor to profess Christianity. He established the Edict of Milan in 313 AD that legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire, ending years of deadly persecution. Helena embarked on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where she allegedly found the True Cross of Jesus. While Helena would have been quite old at the time of her pilgrimage to Jerusalem, she is often painted as young and beautiful. She is painted with a crown and covered in jewels to indicate her royal status.