ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY
Saints celebrated on the 1st of January
SAINT LIUTBIRGA, ANCHORESS
Luitbirga (Leutbergis, Luitberga, Luithburga, Luitperga, Luitpurga). Basic meaning of the name: sheltering people.
She was born at the beginning of the 9th century as the daughter of Hessus, Prince of the Ostphalen (progenitor of the Hessian princely house), who joined Charles the Great in A.D. 775 and ended his life as a monk at Fulda in 804, after he had previously founded the Winadohosum monastery and divided his fortune between his two daughters Gisla and Liutbirga.
Luitbirga lived at the house of her sister Gisla, who was married. Here, Luitbirga was allowed to pursue the exercises of piety as she pleased. She did so, and lived with her sister in close communion of love (in summo caritatis persistens officio). In a short time she had become dear to everyone who came to know her; every year new blooms of virtue could be seen in her: careful in giving advice, faithful in all that was entrusted to her, generous to the poor, always active, outstanding in the fear of God, caring for the sick, exceptionally kind to all, ever ready to propitiate those who disputed. Thus she opened the bosom of her kindness to all, loved all, and was loved in turn by all. Every day she strove to grow in perfection, to please God and man more. She was constant in prayer, singing psalms and hymns - the daily offering of praise from her devout heart.
What she always considered good and pleasing to God, she pursued with all her heart and with the greatest zeal (quaecunque bona, Deoque placita censuerat, toto cordis ambiebat affectu). She read incessantly from the scriptures, which she consulted daily. In general, she must have been very gifted intellectually. Her biography also says of her that she was most competent in all female work, which she loved to do for the poor, for which reason she was regarded and honoured by them as a second mother. Her whole demeanour was so engaging and amiable that even strangers became very attached to her before they had a chance to get to know her properly (prius cara quam nota).
When Gisla died and her son Bernhart took over his father's castle, he did exactly what his mother had recommended to him when he was dying, namely that he should love and care for Luitbirga as his sister. He married Reginhilda, the daughter of a count named Lothar, who died after having borne her husband two sons, Bernhart and Otwin. His second wife, Helmburgis, continued the friendly relationship with Luitbirga, which Reginhilda had maintained with the greatest care.
Over the years and the more she loved her relatives and all people, Luitbirga became stricter on herself. Night watches and mortifications of all kinds, combined with constant work, made her body so emaciated that the skin sagged from her protruding bones.
Every day she attended the whole service (Holy Mass and the prayer hours¹ of the day) in the church. If she happened to be at a place where there was no church, she would rise before daybreak in order to get to the nearest church in good time. Each time she also received communion, whereupon she started her way back home. At special times she did this with bare feet, in order to mortify herself still more. She did not allow herself to be deterred from these hikes, even when the area was unsafe due to robbers or wild animals (wolves).
Once the bishop Theotgrim (Dietgrim, Thiatgrim, Thiagrius) of Halberstadt - from A.D. 827 to February 8, 840 - visited the castle of the count who was a friend of his. Luitbirga saw this as a welcome opportunity to express a wish he had probably had for a long time: she begged him on her knees to give her the veil as atonement for her sins and to lock her up in a cell. Count Lothar opposed this request, and intially the bishop agreed with him. But Luitbirga's mind was made up; she even had earmarked the cell in which she wished to be locked up - a cave which still exists in Michaelstein. These days it can be seen with the church that has since been built above it.
Thus the bishop performed the act with great solemnity. The cell was sprinkled with holy water and Luitbirga was introduced into it with the instruction that she must remain in it at all times. Finally, the bishop prayed over her that the Lord would give her the grace to continue her struggle to a good end.
Now a new life began for the saint, since only now did she have the opportunity, separated from all the world, to occupy herself with God alone. She was now even more busy in prayer and meditation than before, her food consisted only of bread and water, which she sometimes ate with vegetables and salt. On Sundays, a small fish was added, but only rarely. If there was fruit of the season, she sometimes had it brought to her.
In her free hours she occupied herself not only with ordinary handicrafts, but also with painting, in which she possessed great artistry. It was not for nothing that the bishop had asked for strength for them in the forthcoming battles, for temptations and devilish pursuits of all kinds were not lacking. She endured bravely and repulsed them by sprinkling herself with holy water and making the Sign of the Cross. Like-minded people seem to have joined her; her biography says that she heard Mass every day and at the appropriate hours (horis competentibus) sung "with the sisters".
As a faithful daughter of the Roman Church, she also liked to fast on Saturdays, because she had heard that fasting was also practiced in Rome on that day, because Christ the Lord lay in his grave on that day. She lived in her cell for so long that not only Bishop Hemmo (Haimo, Heimo) of Halberstadt (from 840 to 853) but even St Ansgar (Anskar, Anscharius) of Hamburg (from 834 to 865) could still visit.
Her death happened on January 1, at the time of "Ludwig the Younger," "the German," who reigned from 840 to 876. She was buried at the church, as the documents say - "in honour of him who still deigned to protect all who hope in him." Her blessed death fell between the years 857 and 870. She had spent thirty years as anchoress. (Pertz*, mon. Scr. IV. 158–164.)
(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 3, Augsburg, 1869)
¹[The seven monastic prayer hours (prayer times) are: Matins and Lauds - usually counted as a single hour -, in the middle of the night; Prime, at sunrise; Terce, 9 a.m.; Sext, noon; None, 3 p.m.; Vespers, sunset; and Compline at bedtime.]
*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 Saint Luitbirga 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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