| Blessed Elisabeth Hesselblad | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 4, 1870 Faglavik, Herrljunga Municipality, Sweden |
| Died | April 24, 1957 Rome, Italy |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | April 9, 2000 by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | June 4 |
Blessed Elisabeth Hesselblad, religious name Maria Elisabetta Hesselblad, (June 4, 1870 – April 24, 1957) was a Swedish nurse, nun, and beatified woman.
She was the fifth of thirteen children born to August Robert Hesselblad and Cajsa Pettesdotter Dag – a Lutheran family in Fåglavik, Herrljunga Municipality, Sweden. By 1886, she had to work to help them make ends meet. At first she looked for work in Sweden, but eventually sought work in the United States as a nurse. Her work in the US started her interest in Catholicism and in 1902 she converted. She later joined the Bridgettines on a visit to Rome. She attempted to revive interest in the order and its founder. She also worked at efforts at inter-religious dialogue and against racism, and became known as "the second Bridget".
She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 9, 2000, and in 2004 she was recognized by Yad Vashem as one of the Righteous Among the Nations for her work in helping Jews during World War II.