In the southeast of the chapel there is a chair which was reputed to be a seat that was sat in by Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine when she was looking for the True Cross.

The chronicler William of Tyre reports on the renovation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the mid-12th century.

The Crusaders investigated the eastern ruins on the site, occasionally excavating through the rubble, and while attempting to reach the cistern where the True Cross was believed to have been found, they discovered part of the original ground level of Hadrian's temple enclosure; they decided to transform this space into a chapel dedicated to Helena, widening their original excavation tunnel into a proper staircase.

[citation needed] The large decorative floor mosaic is made by the 20th-century Israeli artist Hava Yofe.

[5] In 2017–2019, the chapel underwent renovations which include a new white marble altar railing and new tile flooring.