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. Icons portray Helena as an empress wearing royal robes and a crown. She usually stands beside or hold the cross. In Orthodox paintings, Constantine is pictured with her. Helena has been remembered as instrumental in transforming the Roman Empire toward Christianity, constructing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.