The news was brought to St. Helena, who visited the spot,45 but although there were certainly three crosses, no one knew which was the one upon which Jesus suffered. A test, however, was applied, which proved to be satisfactory. The body of a maid was being borne on a bier for burial, but the funeral procession was stopped, and the body was touched by the different crosses. The two first produced no effect,46 but when the third touched the dead maiden, she was at once restored to life.47 Here, then, was proof positive; this was the very Cross; and St. Helena, mindful of her son Constantine, divided the sacred wood; part she enclosed in a case of precious metal, and kept at Jerusalem;48 and part she sent to her son, at Byzantium, who received it with due reverence,49 and deposited it in the church, with great ceremony.50
Here it remained, until it was taken away, with other spoil, by Chosroes, the King of Persia, who, aware of the sanctity of the relic, had it placed on the right hand of his throne. He was so puffed up with pride, that he ordered himself to be adored. His people, hitherto, had worshipped the sun, but now he ordained that henceforth he was to be considered the principal Person in the Trinity (the Father), and that the relic of the Cross was to be looked upon as the Son, whilst a golden cock which he had made was to represent the Holy Ghost.51
Then Heraclius made war against Chosroes, and meeting with a Persian army under one of the sons of that monarch, it was agreed that, in order to prevent a useless effusion of blood, the two commanders should fight it out between them, and whoever was vanquished should submit.52 The duel was fought on a bridge over the Danube, and Heraclius vanquished and killed the son of Chosroes.53 The Persian army then made their submission,54 and the penance imposed upon them by the conqueror was that they should all be baptized, which was duly done.