THE CHAPEL OF ST. HELENA. 
The discovery of the Cross on which our Lord died, was one of the most memorable 
exploits of the mother of Constantine. From the Greek Chapel in the Great Church of the 
Holy Sepulchre, by thirty broad marble steps, a large underground chamber is reached, its 
roof supported by four short columns, and dimly lighted. In front of those steps is an altar, 
and, on one side, the seat on which St. Helena, instructed by a dream where the true Cross 
was hidden, sat and watched while the progress of discovery was going on. Fourteen steps 
deeper is another chamber, still more dimly lighted, and in its centre a marble slab, covering 
the pit where, deeper yet, the mysterious object of search was at last found. 
But humiliating as are those legendary absurdities, the scenes which take place in con¬ 
nexion with them are not less humiliating. An intelligent traveller 1 supplies us with the 
substance of the following exhibition at the Holy Sepulchre (1821). The 21st of April is 
called the Day of Charity. By ten in the morning, an immense crowd were collected at 
the Church and round the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre. In this assemblage was to be 
recognised every description of Christian Europe, with Copts, Maronites, Armenians, 
Syrian Arabs, &c. Their object was to see the kindling of the sacred fire in imitation 
of that which descended at the prayer of Elijah. “ During the period when the miracle 
was preparing within the Shrine, what were the crowd doing ? They selected this interval 
for performances worthy of an Italian Carnival. They ran and dragged each other round 
the Church, they mounted on each other’s shoulders, they built themselves up into pyramids, 
they tumbled like mountebanks. The shouts and shrieks from so many voices, in so many 
languages, sharpened with oriental shrillness, were intolerable. The uproar was rendered 
more discordant by the violence of the Turkish soldiers in the attempt to tranouillise 
fanaticism by blows.” 
Two priests, a Greek and an Armenian, next entered the Shrine, and the door was 
closed after them and guarded by a body of soldiers. The crowd now rushed towards the 
walls of the Shrine, every one with a torch or taper ready to be lighted by the miraculous 
flame. But the miracle was delayed until the arrival of the Turkish governor. The gal¬ 
lery overlooking this ceremonial was filled by various groups; Turks, who laughed at it; 
Armenians, who believed in the miracle; Latins, who might be sceptical or not, as they 
pleased; and English, who naturally looked upon it with mingled feelings of contempt and 
compassion. At length the governor arrived, and the miracle had permission to display 
itself. Every light was put out, and the multitude were left in almost total darkness; but 
after some moments of anxiety a glimmer was seen through the orifices in the Shrine, it 
increased to a flame, and the multitude burst into a general exclamation. All now was 
enthusiasm, delight, and not a little dangei'. For the zealots fought fiercely for the honour 
1 The Rev. G. Waddington : “ Condition of the Greek Church.” 
