SAINT FEAST DAY 8 JANUARY: ST GUDULA

SAINT GUDULA, VIRGIN

Saint Gudula was born in Brabant, Belgium, of Witger and Amalberga, in the seventh century; died at the beginning of the eighth century.

After the birth of Gudula her mother Amalberga, who is herself venerated as a saint, embraced the religious life, and according to tradition received the veil at the hands of St Aubert, Bishop of Cambrai (died about 668).

SAINTLY RELATIVES

Gudula’s sister was St Reinelda, and her brother, St Emebertus, who succeeded St Vindician as Bishop of Cambrai about 695.

From an early age Gudula proved herself a worthy child of her mother, and with Reinelda and Emebertus lived in an atmosphere of piety and good works. She frequently visited the church of Moorzeele, situated at a distance of two miles from her parents’ house.

THE TRANSLATION OF HER RELICS

She was buried at Ham (Eastern Flanders). About a century after her death, her relics were removed from Ham to the church of Saint-Sauveur at Moorzeele, where the body was interred behind the altar. Under Duke Charles of Lorraine (977-992), or more exactly, between 977 and 988, the body of the saint was taken from the church of Moorzeele and transferred to the chapel of St Gery at Brussels. Count Balderic of Louvain caused another translation to be made in 1047, when the relics of the saint were placed in the church of Saint-Michel. Great indulgences were granted on the feast of the saint in 1330, to all who assisted in the decoration and completion of the church of St Gudula at Brussels.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CANDLE

On June 6, 1579, the collegiate church was pillaged and wrecked by the Gueux and heretics, and the relics of the saint disinterred and scattered. The feast of the saint is celebrated at Brussels on January 8.

If St Michael is the patron of Brussels, St Gudula is its most venerated patroness. In iconography, St Gudula is represented on a seal of the Church of St Gudula of 1446 reproduced by Pere Cahier holding in her right hand a candle, and in her left a lamp, which a demon endeavours to extinguish.

This representation is doubtless in accord with the legend which relates that the saint frequently repaired to the church before cock-crow. The demon wishing to interrupt this pious exercise, extinguished the light which she carried, but the saint obtained from God that her lantern should be rekindled. The flower called "tremella deliquescens" , which bears fruit in the beginning of January, is known as "Sinte Goulds lampken" (St Gudula’s lantern). The old woodcarvers who professed to represent the saints born in the states of the House of Austria, depict St Gudula with a taper in her hand.

Information from Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Gudula may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

WELCOME

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