Reineldis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saint Reineldis | |
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| Virgin and Martyr | |
| Born | c. 630, Condacum |
| Died | c. 700, Saintes, Brabant, Belgium |
| Major shrine | Saintes, where her relics are kept |
| Feast | 16 July |
| Attributes | a woman being dragged by the hair by Huns |
| Patronage | open wounds, against eye diseases |
 Saints Portal |
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Saint Reineldis (also Reinhild, Reinaldes, Raineld among others) (c. 630 - c. 700) was a Frankish saint of the 7th century. She was a nun, and was martyred by Huns.
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[edit] Life
Reineldis was born in a place called Condacum (which is identified with either Condé-sur-l'Escaut or Kontich). She was the daughter of Duke Witger of Lotharingia and Saint Amalberga of Maubeuge. Her brother Saint Emebert was a priest in the diocese of Cambrai. Her biography mentions Saint Gudula to be her sister.
Both her father and mother decided to enter the religious life (her mother at the abbey of Maubeuge). Reineldis made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Her vita records this fact, stating that she visited Palestine.[1]
She returned home and devoted herself to a life of charitable work as a nun at Saintes.[2] She was put to death with Grimoald, a deacon, and Gundulf, her servant, by barbarian invaders in Saintes.
[edit] Veneration
Saint Reineldis is primarily venerated in Saintes as the town's patroness. Indeed, some sources indicate that Saintes owes its name to Reineldis' martyrdom at the hands of the Huns who were devastating the countryside.[3]
Saintes is also home to the church of Sainte-Renelde, which since the Middle Ages has housed the relics of Saint Reineldis. This parish church apparently has very rich and original furnishings, and a large oriental tower built in the 17th century.[4][5]
Saint Reineldis' patronage of eye diseases is due to her association with a well in Saintes known as "Sainte Renelde's well." Water from this well is believed to be helpful in curing eye maladies.[4][6]
[edit] Iconography
Reineldis is commonly depicted with a sword or being dragged by her hair, remembering her decapitation by Huns. She may also be portrayed as a pilgrim, because of her journey to the Holy Land.
[edit] Notes
Primary source: Vita Renildis, Acta Sanctorum (written about 1050 in the abbey of Lobbes, Belgium).
- ^ "Reinildis, St.". Who Was a Christian in the Holy Land?. (1980). Ed. A. Mertens. Christusrex.org. Retrieved on 2007-02-21.
- ^ Rabenstein, Katherine (July 1998). Reineldis VM (RM). Saints O' the Day for July 16. Retrieved on 2007-02-16.
- ^ Tubize. Communes of Brabant Wallon. Expatriate Online: Your Bookmark to Belgium. Retrieved on 2007-02-21.
- ^ a b Stocks, Relics and... 'Tarte al Djote'. Office de Promotion du Tourisme de Wallonie et de Bruxelles (June 2006). Retrieved on 2007-02-21.
- ^ Villers-la-Ville, Rebecq and Tubize. Living in Belgium (2005). Retrieved on 2007-02-21.
- ^ Sainte Renelde et comp.. Nominis. Retrieved on 2007-02-21.
[edit] External links
- (Norwegian) Den hellige Reineldis
- (French) Pictures of Saintes, Belgium - Includes both the church (eglise) and well (puits) of Saint Reineldis
- Catholic Online entry for Reineldis
