Elen

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Elen was a founder of churches in Wales who is remembered as a saint. Traditionally she is said to have been a Romano-British princess and the wife of Macsen or Magnus Clemens Maximus, Emperor in Britain, Gaul and Spain (where he died seeking imperial recognition) in 388.

Church tradition

Elen was mother of five, including a boy named Constantine, but she lived about sixty years later than Helena of Constantinople, the mother of Constantine the Great with whom she has, in times past, been confused.

She is patron of Llanelan in West Gower and of the church at Penisa'r-waun near Caernarfon, where her feast day is 22 May.

Together with her sons, Cystennin (‘Constantine’) and Peblig (‘Publicius’, named in the calendar of the Church in Wales), she is said to have introduced into Wales the Celtic form of monasticism from Gaul. St. Gregory of Tours records that Maximus (and Elen) met St. Martin of Tours while they were in Gaul.

Literary tradition

In Welsh mythology (mentioned in the Mabinogion), Elen was a heroine who magically built highways across her country so that the soldiers could more easily defend it from attackers. She is thus known as Elen of the Hosts (Elen Luddog).

She is said to have ordered the making of Sarn Helen (Fford Elan), the great Roman road, which bears her name, running from Caernarfon to South Wales via Dolgellau, Pennal and Bremia (Llanddewi Brefi). Many other roads in Wales bear her name (e.g. Llwybr Elen) and she is thus acknowledged as the patron saint of British roadbuilders and the protectoress of travellers.

References

Oxford dictionary of Saints by David Farmer, 4th edition, 1997
The Celtic Saints by Nigel Pennick, Thorsons, 1997

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