Reineldis
Saint Reineldis | |
---|---|
Virgin and Martyr | |
Born | c. 630 Condacum |
Died | c. 700 , Brabant, Belgium |
Major shrine | , where her relics are kept |
Feast | 16 July |
Attributes | sword or pilgrim's staff |
Patronage | open wounds, against eye diseases |
Reineldis (also Reinhild, Reinaldes, Rainelde among others; c. 630 – c. 700) was a saint of the 7th century, martyred by the Huns.
Life[]
Reineldis was born in a place called Condacum (which is identified with either Condé-sur-l'Escaut or Kontich). She was the daughter of Duke Witger of Lotharingia and Saint Amalberga of Maubeuge. Her brother Emebert was a priest in the diocese of Cambrai. Her biography mentions Gudula as her sister. Her mother entered the religious life at Maubeuge Abbey.
Reineldis made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Her vita, written between 1048–1051 in Lobbes Abbey,[1] records this fact, stating that she visited Jerusalem.
She returned home and devoted herself to a life of charitable work at .[2] She was decapitated by the Huns at Saintes, together with deacon Grimoaldus and her servant Gondulphus.
Veneration[]
Saint Reineldis is primarily venerated in Saintes as the patron saint of the town. Some sources even indicate that Saintes owes its name to Reineldis' martyrdom.[3]
The parish church of Saintes is dedicated to Sainte-Renelde since the Middle Ages and has preserved the relics of Saint Reineldis. This church has a large bell tower built in the 17th century.[4][5]
Saint Reineldis' patronage for eye diseases is due to the association with a water well in Saintes known as "Sainte Renelde's well", water which is believed to cure eye diseases.[4][6]
Iconography[]
Reineldis is commonly depicted with a sword or being dragged by her hair, referring to the decapitation. She is also portrayed as a pilgrim, because of her journey to the Holy Land.
Gallery[]
The Saint Reineldis church (1553) in (Belgium).
The Saint Reineldis fountain (1861) in (Belgium).
Notes[]
- ^ Vita Reineldis, Acta Sanctorum, Julii IV, 173-178.
- ^ Rabenstein, Katherine (July 1998). "Reineldis". Saints O' the Day for July 16. Archived from the original on February 6, 2007. Retrieved 2012-02-23.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
- ^ "Tubize". Communes of Brabant Wallon. Expatriate Online: Your Bookmark to Belgium. Archived from the original on 2006-11-12. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Stocks, Relics and... 'Tarte al Djote'". Office de Promotion du Tourisme de Wallonie et de Bruxelles. June 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
- ^ "Villers-la-Ville, Rebecq and Tubize". Living in Belgium. 2005. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
- ^ "Sainte Renelde et comp". Nominis. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
External links[]
- (in Norwegian) Den hellige Reineldis
- (in French) Pictures of Saintes, Belgium - includes both the church (eglise) and well (puits) of Saint Reineldis
- Catholic Online entry for Reineldis
- Belgian Roman Catholic saints
- 7th-century Frankish women
- 630 births
- 700 deaths
- 7th-century Frankish saints
- Christian female saints of the Middle Ages
- Colombanian saints