Amalberga of Ghent

Saint Amalberga on stained glass window (1906) in the pilgrimage church Maria Schutz am Bründl, Bad Leonfelden, Upper Austria

Amalberga von Gent (also: Amalberga von Temse , Amalberga von Munsterbilzen , Amalberge and Amalia ; † around 772 ) was a holy nun and mystic .

She refused to marry a king's son Karl ( Karl Martell , according to other interpretations of Charlemagne ) and became a nun in Amorabtei in Munsterbilzen under the abbess Landrada , her aunt, from whom she had previously been tutored. Her home Temse is the place of death on the left of the Scheldt .

Probably 864, but no later than 1031, it was in the Saint Peter Abbey of Ghent transferred. Her feast day is July 10th.

She is considered a mystic because her life was very much shaped by visions . Legends ascribe many miracles to her even during her lifetime, such as the healing of the emperor, who was struck with illness because of his rudeness. At Amalberga's intercession , a well arose when she carried water in a sieve to a dry place; it prevented wild geese from causing field damage in the area. When she died, her coffin was seen in a boat, floating away without an oar and accompanied by fish.

Amalberga is said to have been born in the Ardennergau on the paternal genetic make-up called “Rodingi Villa”. Whether it comes from that part of the Ardennergau that corresponds to today's Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, as is claimed, or rather from the Belgian province of the same name remains to be clarified. A number of authors consider “Rodingi Villa” to be identical to the Luxembourg town of Rodingen, where Amalberga has been venerated as the main patroness of the parish church since 1880. The final proof of this remains to be provided.

It should not be confused with Amalberga von Maubeuge or Amalberga von Susteren .

literature

Hans Hubert Anton: Amalberga . In: Walter Kasper (Ed.): Lexicon for Theology and Church . 3. Edition. tape 1 . Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1993, Sp. 483 .

Web links

Commons : Amalberga von Gent - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ Jos. A. Massard: Apparent death, buried alive, raising the dead in Luxembourg and elsewhere. (PDF; 318 kB) Lëtzebuerger Journal 2008, No. 215 (Nov. 5): 24-25, No. 216 (Nov. 6): 23 (Amalberga). Notes and sources .

personal data
SURNAME	Amalberga of Ghent
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Amalberga from Temse; Amalberga from Munsterbilzen; Amalbergs; Amalia
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	holy nun and mystic
DATE OF BIRTH	7th century or 8th century
DATE OF DEATH	at 772

[1] Jos. A. Massard: Apparent death, buried alive, raising the dead in Luxembourg and elsewhere. (PDF; 318 kB) Lëtzebuerger Journal 2008, No. 215 (Nov. 5): 24-25, No. 216 (Nov. 6): 23 (Amalberga). Notes and sources .