Saint Helier

Saint Helier (/sintˈhɛliər/) is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands in the English Channel. St Helier has a population of about 33,500, roughly 34.2% of the total population of Jersey, and is the capital of the Island (although Government House is situated in St Saviour). The urban area of the parish of St Helier makes up most of the largest town in Jersey, although some of the town area is situated in adjacent St Saviour, with suburbs sprawling into St Lawrence and St Clement. The greater part of St Helier is rural.

The parish covers a surface area of 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²), being 9% of the total land area of the Island (this includes reclaimed land area of 494 acres (2.00 km²) or 200 ha).

The parish arms are two crossed gold axes on a blue background, the blue symbolising the sea, and the axes symbolising the martyrdom of Helier at the hands of Saxon pirates in 555 AD.

History

It is thought that the site of St Helier was settled at the time of the Roman control of Gaul.

Saint Helier (disambiguation)

Saint Helier is a parish in the island of Jersey named after Saint Helier. Other places named after the saint are:

See also

Helier

Saint Helier (died 555 AD) was a 6th-century ascetic hermit. He is the patron saint of Jersey in the Channel Islands, and in particular of the town and parish of Saint Helier, the island’s capital. He is also invoked as a healing saint for diseases of the skin and eyes.

Life

Early years

According to hagiography, Hellerius or Helier was born to pagan parents in Tongeren (now in Belgium). His father was Sigebert, a nobleman from Tongres and his mother was Lusigard. Having had difficulties conceiving a child, they had turned to Saint Cunibert who had advised them to pray to God and that when they had a child they must hand him over to God, and that he, Cunebert, would bring him up in the Christian faith. Their prayers having been answered, Helier was born, but Helier’s father, the Saxon Governor of that place, eventually grew angry at the influence Cunibert exerted over his precocious son, who was already causing consternation with his youthful miracles. Helier’s father had Cunibert killed, whereupon Helier fled.