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BLESSED HERLUKA, ANCHORESS - 18 APRIL

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL

Saints celebrated on the 18th of April

BLESSED HERLUKA, ANCHORESS

Blessed Herluka (Herluca), also known as Helluka, Herulia, French Herluque, was born in Swabia (Württemberg) [Germany]. In her youth she was devoted to a vain and worldly life. 

But the merciful hand of God sent upon her a severe and protracted illness, which opened her eyes and made her resolve to serve God alone on the path of virtue if He would let her recover. But even after the illness had been overcome, she did not want to remain true to the resolutions she had made, until God sent her an eye ailment that was so severe that she was close to going blind. 

In this great need she had a vision in which she was taught that she would be completely healed in  one of her diseased eyes if she lit a candle in honour of St Cyriacus. This she did and was heard. The eye with which she was able to see properly again remained very sharp into old age.

Herluka is thought to have been born at Donstetten in the vicinity of Kloster Wiesensteig (Wiesensteig monastery). Here, then, the Blessed began to practise prayer and works of charity for God's greater glory. She lovingly took care of disadvantaged children and supported their poor mothers by sewing, mending and washing clothes, arranging baths, procuring food, etc. In her striving for perfection God strengthened her by visions and other graces.

For instance, Herluka had an apparition of St Felicity, whom she ardently adored. The saint rebuked her for having helped out a maid in the castle by telling a little white lie: it is little to keep the chastity of the body out of love for God if telling the truth is not adhered to (ubi veritas corrumpitur, corporalis integritas non magni penditur).

Years after, when she and her parents made a pilgrimage to Bishop Wikterp's grave at Epfach (the old Eptaticum), the holy Bishop Wikterp himself appeared to Herluka in prayer and made her understand that she was to stay here.

Herluka therefore remained near the chapel of St Laurentius, where this apparition had taken place, for about 36 years. Here she was joined by another pious lady called Douda, a granddaughter of the hermit Sigebod of Raitenbuch. They encouraged each other in the pursuit of holy perfection.

After Blessed Herluka had spent 36 years in wonderful holiness at Epfach, she was forced to leave her lonely home due to persecutions by malicious people. She therefore turned to her godly friend, the regular canon Paul von Bernried. On his advice, Herluka fled to the Bernried monastery on Lake Würmsee, locked herself in a narrow cell next to it and died there happily in the Lord around the year 1142.

According to some, the day of her death is March 18. The Bollandists* also mention her on April 18, along with St Wikterp, Bishop. (See also: Diemodis)

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 2, Augsburg, 1861)

*A hagiography source used by the authors 

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of the blessed Herluka 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.

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