ST SALABERGA, WIDOW AND ABBESS - 22 SEPTEMBER

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER

Saints celebrated on the 22nd of September

WELCOME!

SAINT SALABERGA, WIDOW AND ABBESS 

Salaberga's parents, Gundoinus and Saretrudis (otherwise also called Bertoldus and Bertildis), were very wealthy. She had two brothers, Lendulnus Bodo, later Bishop of Toul, and Fulcnisus Bodo. Her birthplace was Orney, diocese of Langres. 

As a virgin she went blind, but around the year 617 the holy Abbot Eustasius of Luxeuil cured her by means of prayer and consecrated oil, which he applied to  her sick eyes. Thereupon she had her eyesight restored. The miracle probably happened on the Meuse estate (Mosa), where the parents stayed. 

Soon after, her parents gave her for marriage to a nobleman named Richrammus. She agreed, although she would have preferred to take the veil. Her husband died just two months after the wedding. But she had to get married a second time. So her wish to go to the monastery in Remiremont remained unfulfilled once more.

The new marriage was happy. Her husband, Count Bason (Blandinus), was himself very God-fearing, and he accommodated gladly every wish his wife had regarding the exercises of piety and charity. 

She bore him two sons: Eustasius and Baldwin, and three daughters: Saretrudis, Ebanis and Anstrudis, all of whom she carefully brought up in the fear of God. In thanksgiving, she built a magnificent monastery that included no less than seven churches and chapels. It was later called St Jean de Laon. 

Soon afterwards, with the approval of her husband, she renounced the world completely and joined the monastery. Bishop Attolus (Attilo) presented her with holy veil. Soon, attracted by the piety and goodness of saintly foundress, three hundred sisters filled its buildings, who continuously sang the praises of God alternately day and night at every hour. 

One of her daughters, Anstrudis, had also entered with her; after her mother's death she was elected abbess and also died a saint. 

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858 - An engraving of the monastery St Jean De Laon, founded by St Salaberga)