ORDINIS HELENIUM

EPITOME

1335

   If appearances are allowed to exert their way, 1281 was the year when Saint Helena of Westgothia was mentioned for the first time ever  -  bishop Brynolf Algotsson wrote allegedly that she had a mass and a feast day at Skovde at that time. Then, in 1288, he allegedly wrote his liturgical texts for her, which include the first mentions of e.g. the big rural farm called Gothene, the Fons Beate Helene and the Petra (rock, boulder). This text also tells us that Alexander III canonized her in 1164, though this cannot be proved by any Vatican documents from that time, but this canonization constitutes a secondary step from the main issue, namely the cult of Helena, insofar as if Brynolf didn't write what one uses to suppose he wrote, the act of 1164 has turned absurd, retrodated as it was during Brynolf's own canonization process of ~1417-1492  -  the act becomes a tale within the tale and is therefore irrelevant here. Helena was added "later" to a calendar of Strangnas from ~1250, so her presence there deceitfully makes one believe that her cult antedated Brynolf's text. Since Helena was never included in any indulgency letters written by Brynolf and by his contemporary colleges it is beyond doubt questionable both whether she, as a saint, was known at the actual time and whether Brynolf could have written her liturgical text  -  according to his saintly process, his relation to Helena was extremely subjugated; if he had written her text and if she would have been known during his time as a bishop, then it would have been compulsory that he had dedicated churches to her, written indulgency letters with relation to her, and included her in the diocese-wide liturgy. There exists a diary list of letters sent from the Pope from 1292, and it includes Saint Helene of Skovde, proving that by that time she was known by the Vatican. The documentation presented during Brynolf's canonization process is doubtful. In respect of Helena's real introduction, Peder Larsson (1322-36) was the diocesan bishop at its occurrence. It was in 1335 that king Magnus Eriksson sent a letter from Lodose to Riseberga dating it "die beate Helene", producing the first doubtless proof of Helena's cult in the real world.

1346-58

   1346 is the next sure year proving the existence of her cult, namely the will of king Magnus Eriksson and queen Blanche comprising the first mention of that a church was dedicated to her: Helena's church at Skovde (Skodwi). A few years thereafter Helena was included in a dominican calendar at abo. In 1356 "Ecclesie Sancte Helene in Skodwi" was written, and in 1358 "Elena" was added to an older calendar of Skara diocese on 31/7: she was thus a part of the diocesan saintly personnel.

The Oratory

   From the indulgency letter dated 12/7.1373 it can be deduced that Helena's Oratory outside Skovde had existed during a not specified number of years, and it is not unlikely that it was the oldest ecclesiastical building which was originally dedicated to her. Bishop Nils, who wrote the letter, also offered gifts to her church downtown. Bishop Sigge issued in 1425 (23/10) an indulgency letter for those who, after regret and confession, for the first time went as pilgrims to this oratory.

Saint Helena Church of Skovde

   The 1370:ies might have been the decade when the building of her church in central Skovde was initiated, since from then and during 60 years many donations were given to the construction of this church or "temple". By 1435 donations had been exchanged for indulgency letters, indicating that the church was finished. In 1467 (27/1), in 1473 (10/1) and in 1509 (18/10) this church was offered such letters.

Helena's Waxing Cult

   In 61 years her cult had grown from nought to the state of being one of the patronesses of Sweden, which was decided at Arboga in 1396. In 1371 one church had recently been named after her in Barne Harad  -  Eling  -  and in 1403 another church had been the same in Vilske harad  -  Elin near Goteve (with a "v"). Birgitta's holy Order disseminated the Helena cult as early as from the 1390:ies, and in 1389 they had written their own Helena's hagiography and an Office of Helena, and her cult was thus spread to the Continent even down to Rome. In 1400 her liturgical text was copied by hand in Codex Laurentii Odonis. In 1429 (18/6) indulgency was granted for Helena's feast day in Scara Cathedral, and in 1430 she was ingraved on S:t Henrik's cenotaph destined for Nousis church/ Finland.

Saint Helena Church Of Gotene

   In 1436 (19/11) an indulgency letter proved that Gotene church had been dedicated to Helena, followed by another such letter in 1480 (1:st Advent Sunday).

Helena's Cult Went On Waxing

   In 1440 (20/11) a Helena's altar was inaugurated in the cathedral of Uppsala, the town where the archbishop of Sweden was reciding. The birgittine nunnery of Mariager in Jylland was inaugurated in 1430, and its liturgy, written during the second half of the 15th century, involved Helena. In 1482 +/- 3 years Helena was endowed with a mural painting in Kumlaby church  -  it is her oldest known ecclesiastical picture, and it was to become her first one to be rediscovered namely in 1922. In 1489 it was decided that Helena's feast day was to be one of the main feasts of Sweden, and in 1498 she was raised to the level of the Trinity and of Mary. She had thus regained her original position, see Proverbs chapter 8. In 1498, too, her liturgical text was printed in Cologne in Breviarium Scarense.

Helena's Introduction In Denmark

   Helena had been included in the Mariager liturgy in Jylland since some 50 years, but otherwise the first danish proof of Helena's cult is when Aebelholt monastery in 1512 decided that a Helena's Collect must be read every Tuesday.

The Acme And The Crash Of Helena's Cult

   Between 1520 and 1525 the most of the preserved wooden sculptures of Helena were carved and set up in churches within Scara diocese, but in 1527 the cults of saints were forbidden in Sweden. (In 1534 Sankt Helene Kirke in Lund was mentioned). In 1530 the authorities plundered Helena Church at Skovde, and in 1596 her reliques of Skovde were buried in an unknown place.

Post-Reformatory Evolution

   In 1605-16 Goteve was introduced as an alternative place to Gotene for Helena's martyrdom. In 1624 her well at Lyngsjo was firstly mentioned. In 1708 Fontem S. Helenae at Gotene was invented, and in 1717 a copy of the seal of Helena's Convivium was found. In 1744 St. Helenes Kilde on the island of Torget was on the wane. In 1915 Gothem was invented in Helena's context.

Helena's Cult Expanding In Denmark

   In 1627 a tall cross existed by Helene Kilde (water-well) at Tisvildeleje, and in 1634 a monument called Helene Grave existed there, and Helene offshore Stone. Two years later witnesses told of the healing effect of her well-water. The local cult was described in 1658. Her cult was never forgotten here, and her traditions were written down and pictures were made of her cult during the entire 19th century. In the 20th century a Sankt Helene Centre was built near Helena's monuments in Sjalland.

Erasion And Revival In Sweden

   In 1759 the ruin of Helena's Oratory was completely annihilated, and her church in Skovde centre burned down. One last gesture of adoration of Helena was performed by a painter who made a picture of her dressed as a nun on the new tower of Skovde church, before an engineer of satan destroyed it. It was in 1790 or 1861 invented that Helena had built Vamb church and that she had onwed that parish. The Revival started in a way in 1922 when her painting in Kumlaby church was redetected, and all of her medieval images were then rediscovered before 1956. 1927-37 Joseph Dunney wrote Helena's biography and he dedicated his parish in New York to her. In 1932 von Mirbach wrote a play on Helena, and Helena's 15th century relique of Molltorp was transferred to Skara Museum. The communal escutcheons of Skovde and Gotene with Helena attributes were approved of in 1939 (its successor in 2001) and in 1953 respectively. Outdoor services were introduced on the ruin of Elin church from 1943 and onwards; in 1953 Erik Olson made a painting of Helena for Skovde church; in 1955 her well at Medelplana was introduced and the stone monument on the well at Gotene was erected; in 1956 her glass mosaic was composed for Skara cathedral, a book was written on her, and a monument was erected on the well by Vambo Rivulet near Skovde; in 1971 her stone altar was carried into Medelplana church, and her well in that parish was introduced in 1974. Tryggve Lundén published his work on Helena in 1983, and in 1992 a new Helena's Order was initiated at Gotene. Her well at Ranneslov was inaugurated in 1993 (6/11), and in 1994 music for a new Helena's Mass was composed and there was an exhibition on her at Skovde; in 1997 there was another exhibition on her in Sjalland, and on 3/10 a new Helena's silver ring was made at Skovde. The newest known wooden Helena sculpture was erected at Salt Lake City 10/5.1998. In 2001 there were several manifestations for Helena at Skovde...

Prospects For The Future

   Helena has a tendency to inspire men and women fanatically, and it seems like there always have existed individuals who have devoted their lives to promoting her cult. Presently at least some 10 individuals in Sweden try, in competition with each other, to launch their particular slant on Helena by means of books, articles and inter-net. It is hard to tell for how long the interest of Helena in Skovde will survive though the communal administration has decided to effectuate manifestations for her yearly, but the chance that her cult will go on in Sjalland "for ever" is doubtless. The efforts of launching her cult in Falkoping commune is alas barren; her cult at Ranneslov seems to be vivid including outdoor services, while no cult has existed at Lyngsjo for a very long time. Rivelry is hopelessly destroying every chance to create a Helena's cult at Gotene, and it is maintained spiting  negativeness.

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