The moment we've all been waiting for has finally arrived: Lent Madness 2016 kicks off RIGHT NOW! For those who thought "Ash Thursday" would, like a desert oasis, never arrive, your penitential dreams have come true.
In any case, we’re delighted to welcome you to this year’s Saintly Smackdown with a First Round battle between Helena and Monnica. Or as we like to call it, the Matronly Meltdown®, as we open with two famous mothers doing battle (of course motherhood isn't either one's full claim to fame, so read on).
If you’re new to Lent Madness, welcome! You may want to check out our recent Voting 101 post which includes a step-by-step how to vote video. You can also read through the Lent Madness Glossary which highlights all sorts of phrases and terms you'll encounter along this unique Lenten journey.
Be sure to sign up for e-mail updates on our home page so you never miss a vote, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and encourage your friends to jump into the fray. While you are on our Facebook page today, please “Check In” to Lent Madness so all your friends will know you have gone to Lent Madness.
We can assure you this will be a wild, joyful, educational, ocassionally gut-wrenching ride. Let the Madness begin!
Helena
During her long life, Helena gathered the most-sought-after relics in Christian history, including splinters of what is known as the True Cross.
Helena was born around 246 CE, somewhere in Asia Minor—most likely the city of Drepanum. She grew up as a stable maid, but her fortunes changed radically when she met the emperor, fell in love with him, was whisked away to Rome, and gave birth to Constantine in 272 CE.
Some describe Helena as the royal wife, some as the royal concubine, some as the royal consort. What is clear is that after Constantine was born, the emperor sent Helena away. Helena and Constantine were exiled from court in 289 CE.
This was not the end of Helena. Constantine became the Roman emperor by winning the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 313 CE, after being told in a vision that if he and his troops marked their shields with the Greek letters Chi and Rho—the first two letters of Christ, the battle would belong to them. Depending on the source, Constantine and his mother converted promptly after this victory was secured.
Upon being recognized as the emperor of Rome, Constantine sent Helena on an official mission: travel to Palestine to bring back relics of Jesus and the Apostles and to do whatever good she felt necessary in the name of Christ. To accomplish this, he put the entire imperial treasury at her disposal.
Helena (who was at the very least every day of seventy-five-years-old) set out with gusto and built the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem as well as the Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives. She tore down the Roman temple that had been constructed on the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and gave orders for the construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. She unearthed fragments of wood that she believed to be the True Cross as well as the nails that were used on Jesus’ hands and feet and carried them with her back to Rome.
In all, she built over eighty churches in the Holy Land, including Saint Catherine’s Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai. Helena also preserved for generations the history of the Holy Land and the early faith of the Church. And she did it all in the second act of her life.
Collect for Helena
Almighty God, you caused Helena of Constantinople to seek the cross of Christ with energy and devotion; Grant that through her example we may be inspired to seek your face and bear your cross for the sake of your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monnica
Monnica, a model of the praying mother and wife, was the mother of Augustine—the father of Western Christian thought. Married to a pagan bureaucrat named Patricius, who would later convert to Christianity under her influence, Monnica was mother to several children; Augustine was the eldest. After her husband’s death, Monnica made fierce and tireless efforts to secure Augustine’s conversion, even going so far as to push the local bishop to track Augustine down and argue with him.
By the time he was twenty-nine, Augustine decided to journey to Rome to teach rhetoric. Monnica, while opposed to the plan, persisted in going with him. By fits and tricks, Augustine managed to embark for Rome, leaving his bereft mother behind. Yet Monnica could not be deterred, and she sailed for Rome, only to find him in Milan. In 386, she witnessed the event for which she longed: Augustine’s full acceptance of catholic Christianity, followed a year later by his baptism. Monnica had persisted, prayed, and worked nearly two decades to see Augustine’s conversion.
Monnica died in the port of Ostia, and when asked if she wished for her remains to be carried home, she replied, “Nothing is far from God; neither am I afraid God will not find me.” Her conviction that nothing is far from God has earned her devotion to this day. Monnica is the patron saint of married women and mothers and those battling alcohol addiction.
Collect for Monnica
O Lord, through spiritual discipline you strengthened your servant Monnica to persevere in offering her love and prayers and tears for the conversion of her husband and of Augustine their son: Deepen our devotion, we pray, and use us in accordance with your will to bring others, even our own kindred, to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
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303 comments on “Helena vs. Monnica”
Personally, I tend to vote for the one who has the potential for the best showing during the Round of Kitsch. (Don't judge me - it's at least as valid as voting for the "Celtic" card.)
Bonnie
I am 80 and still going. Helena has it because she had so much get-up-and-go with age no barrier.
I am 80 and still going. Helena has it because she had so much get-up-and-go with age no barrier.
While not quite "every day of 75"-close enough to be in awe of Helena's accomplishments.
This was a tough decision for me as well. My first thought went to Helena because of all the churches she built, and at age 75. However, it was the comments in the Collect that swayed me. "Use us in accordance with your will to bring others to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior" Monnica it is.
Accomplishment-wise, Helena has it hands down. If I could travel back and meet one of these women, I would choose Helena in a heartbeat. But it seems most folks here are focusing on the mothering angle. Monica nagged, manipulated and prayed her son into eventual submission, and a grateful church thanks her for that. But again choose Helena. Her son was no slouch either. And he apparenlty revered her, loved her, respected her and trusted her ... with the entire treasury! And look what she accomplished with his support. Whereas, Augustine's relationship with his mother (at least insofar as we are lead to believe with the info provided) was ... shall we say ... not quite as ideal ... and no doubt contributed to his overall attitude toward women, which attitude is always explained away or excused as belonging in its context in time. Well, either a lot changed in a 100 years, or Constantine just didn't care (which is another point in his favor).
Helena is impressive for sure, but Monnica spoke to the mother in me always striving for the best for her children. It's fun to be voting again! Happy Lent!
I was conficted about artifacts so I went with the nagging mom who felt close to God wherever she was.
I agree totally
I voted for Helena after much consideration but mainly because I have heard of her.
Also she saw to it that her son Constantine became the first holy roman emperor.
Interesting factoid..she had splinters from Jesus' cross.
Anybody who supports Addiction Recovery gets my vote. Thanks, Monnica
It's hard to resist a 75 year old who takes on an oral history/folklore/archeology project! But then, I always root for the do-ers. Not to disparage prayer, but we need so much action.
Tough choice, as St. Helena is a particular favorite of mine. But I'll have to go with St. Monnica on account of her great faithfulness in praying for her family. "Nothing is far from God; neither am I afraid God will not find me." I like that.
Monica justified all of us bagging mothers. If SHE could convince an obstinate son to mend his ways, there is hope for all of us!
Nagging, not bagging!
Two very strong women! What a great start to Lent Madness!
I voted for Monnica because she didn't build a bunch of churches nor did she tear down valuable historical sites. Her patronage of people living with addiction tipped the scales, so to speak.
So glad to have Lent Madness to look forward to again this year. I had to vote for Monnica because I feel the pain of prodigals in my family, too. I would like to follow Monnica in her persistence and prayer for my children, though maybe not to hover so closely, as that would drive them away from me. Sadly, I have never been to the Holy Land, so that did not persuade me as much. Oliver, glad you are back with us.
I vote for Helena in this first round of Lent Madness. Being a Helen, myself, loving horses, adoring travelling, a searcher of the True Cross, and a lover of Christ, I must go with Helena all the way. The gorgeous marble statue of St. Helena holding the giant true cross, over on the right, near the high altar in St. Peter's is incredible. Helena is deserving of the Golden Halo! h+
Hey there, fellow Buckeye. I'm originally from Hamilton, just down the road from you. I, too, voted for Helena
Torn, very torn...but because I lived for 16 years within 10 miles of Vails Gate, NY, and spent many an hour in the Chapel of the Motherhouse of OSH, my first vote goes to Helena...and gives me hope for my own "second act"!
How I admire Monica for persevering in prayer and faith! Helen was given $ and a directive from her son. Monica had a husband who waited until his deathbed to convert and a son who felt the need to experience it all before settling on a belief system. I've been to those churches in Jerusalem and seen the statue in St. Peter's and appreciate it all. However, Monica's my kind of saint - a genuine people person.
tough start to Lenten Madness. But I am on the last 3rd of my life and Helena gives me hope the next years (final years) don't have to be a repeat of the past years. Christ is waiting for me to discover "relics" to bring home.
My desire to vote for Monnica may be a bit somber but I still do like Helena. It is just that I can relate to Monnica more than I can Helena. Lentmadness is fun and educational. No one should stoop to anything raunchy.
Well folks. We're off to a good start. What did we give up for Lent? - our sanity - with Lent Madness!
In all honesty, it was hard not to vote against Monnica just on my leftover hatred of Confessions from high school alone. I did end up voting for Helena... but on her own merits, I hope.
Ir's interesting to me how a modern term and interpretation of parenting is sent back into the past a a pejorative, helicopter-parenting. It seems as a result of that connection many chose not to vote for Monnica. God never leaves us alone, and is constantly poking at us in order to get our attention. I don't regard God as a helicopter-parent. Augustine was a bad person by his own admission. Maybe like God, Monnica just never gave up.
Please notify me each day of the vote and the two on the ballot.
Thank You
St. Helena's sarcophagus has been placed in the Vatican Museum. It is an impressive structure. http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/x-Schede/MPCs/MPCs_Sala08_01.html
As an energetic senior citizen, I voted for the energetic senior citizen.
I really wanted to vote for Helena for her energy age and devotion to cross of Jesus but had to vote for Monnica for her efforts to share her God with those she loved most.
While I have great admiration for both of these women I voted for Monnica because she never gave up on her son just as God never gives up on us! She loved her son unconditionally and this is what we are all called to do as parents and as people of God.