Aldegundis

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Statue of St. Aldegundis in Hautmont near Maubeuge, 2009

The holy Aldegundis or Adelgundis (* around 630 in Coulsore, France ; † 30 January 684 (695 or 700)) was the founder and abbess of the double monastery Maubeuge . The saint is called upon in the Catholic Church as an emergency helper in the event of illness and danger of death. Her feast day is January 30th.

Childhood and youth

Aldegundis came directly from the Merovingian royal house . She was born as the second daughter of Waldebertus I and his wife Bertilla and lived with her parents and her sister Waldetrudis, who was later canonized as well, at Cousolre Castle in Hainaut . She had a desire to join a monastery, but her parents wanted a connection with the English royal family. Aldegundis fled to an uninhabited region on the Sambre just before marrying the son of the English king . She lived there as a hermit until her parents gave in to her wish.

Nun and abbess

Statue in the St. Aldegundis Church in Emmerich, 2010

Because of her pleading, St. Amand, Bishop of Maastricht, accepted her into a monastery in 651. After the death of her parents, Aldegundis used her inheritance with the support of Bishops Amand and Autbertus to found the double monastery Maubeuge in 661 in what was then Malbodium. In doing so, she followed the example of her sister, who previously founded a Benedictine convent in what is now Mons . Aldegundis put a focus on sick and poor welfare and founded a hospital for this purpose. She ran the monastery as abbess until her death from cancer. The exact date of death is not certain, but January 30, 684 is considered the most likely date.

Legend

Raised in the Christian faith, Aldegundis heard a voice as a young girl: Don't look for a bridegroom other than the Son of God! When she was 13, she was promised to the son of the English king, but before her parents could force Aldegundis to marry, they died. The king's son pursued his bride, but Aldegundis escaped because an angel was leading her across the waters of a river. In addition to this legend, there are a number of other narratives of miracles and healings that are ascribed to Aldegundis. For example, a dove is said to have placed the veil on her head when she was ordained as an abbess, or a candle that fell over and went out when she was engrossed in a spiritual conversation with her sister, ignited by itself when she picked it up again .

Adoration of saints

Statue on the slope of the Staffelberg , 2010

The veneration of Aldegundi spread from the 8th century, especially in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. Saint Aldegundis is often counted among the emergency helpers and is called upon to deal with fever, cancer, headaches, epilepsy, childhood, eye and mental illnesses as well as general danger of death. A well-known intercession in this context is: St. Adelgundis save us from fever, cancer and death .

iconography

In art she is often depicted as a nun with an abbess's staff and rule book, sometimes a dove or a crab is added to indicate the legend and her patient endurance of the disease. The occasional depiction of the crown and scepter at her feet is interpreted as a symbol of the renunciation of her earthly life as a noblewoman. The relics of St. Aldegundis are now in the parish church in Maubeuge.

Patronage

Aldegundis is the namesake of the town of Sankt Aldegund, first mentioned in 1097 as Sanctam Aldegundam .

literature

Web links

Commons : Aldegundis  - collection of images, videos and audio files

notes


personal data
SURNAME Aldegundis
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Adelgundis
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Saints
DATE OF BIRTH around 630
PLACE OF BIRTH Coulsore, France
DATE OF DEATH January 30, 684