Portal:Catholicism/Patron Archive/September 6 2007
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Begga (also Begue) (died 17 December 693) was the daughter of Pepin of Landen, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, and his wife Itta. On the death of her husband, she took the veil, founded several churches, and built a convent at Andenne on the Meuse River where she spent the rest of her days as abbess.
Some hold that the beguine movement which came to light in the 12th century was actually founded by St. Begga; and the church in the beguinage of Lier, Belgium, has a statue of St. Begga standing above the inscription: St. Begga, our foundress. The Lier beguinage dates from the 13th century. More than likely, however, is that the beguines derived their name from that of the priest Lambert le Begue, under whose protection the witness and ministry of the Beguines flourished.
She married Ansegisel, son of Arnulf, Bishop of Metz, and had three children:
- Pepin of Heristal
- Martin of Laon
- Clotilda of Heristal, who was married to Theuderic III of the Franks
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