Saint Alena
| Saint Alena | |
|---|---|
| Saint & Martyr | |
| Born | Dilbeek near Brussels, Belgium |
| Died | c. 640 |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Canonized | 1193 |
| Major shrine | Forest, Belgium |
| Feast | 16 June (Brabant), 17 June (Poland), 18 June (Antichian Orthodox), 19 June (Italy), 24 June (USA), 28 July (Poland), 16 December (Poland) |
| Patronage | toothaches and eye trouble |
- Not to be confused with Blessed Alina Martain or Blessed Michelina of Pesaro.
Saint Alena (also written Alène[1] or Alina[2]) is a Christian saint who, if historical, was martyred around the year 640.[1] She is sometimes referred to as Alena of Forest,[2] or Alena of Brussels,[3] having died in Forest, Belgium which is now one of the nineteen municipalities of Brussels.
Life of Saint Alena
The traditional account of Saint Alena's life, dating to the twelfth century,[4] states that she was born in Dilbeek, just outside Brussels, Belgium, to pagan parents, the nobleman Levold and his wife, Hildegaart.[5][6] Alena chose to be baptized without the knowledge of her parents. As a Christian, she had to attend Mass secretly.[3]
When her father discovered that she was worshipping as a Christian, he came to the conclusion that Christians had bewitched her into conversion. He sent guards to bring her home; she resisted, and during the fighting she lost one arm.[1] She subsequently died in prison due to her injuries.[5]
Various (unspecified) miracles were claimed at the burial site of Alena's body, and one of Levold's subjects, Duke Omundus, had his sight restored by invoking Alena's prayers.[6]
An angel appeared and took the severed arm to the chapel where she worshipped. Alena's parents were shocked, but the miracles, and the witness given by her determined faith, led them to examine Christianity, and they themselves were converted.[1]
Cult of Saint Alena
The Bishop of Cambrai gave permission for Abbot Godeschalk of Affligem to enshrine Alena's remains as the relics of a saint (effectively, therefore, a canonisation) on Pentecost Sunday, 19 May 1193.[4][6]
The chapel with Alena's relics became a popular place of pilgrimage. Her shrine became incorporated into the parish church of Forest as a chapel which held her cenotaph and relics. The relics were transferred in 1524 to a shrine in the adjoining Abbey Church.[4]
Saint Alena is depicted in art as a princess with one arm torn off. She might also be portrayed healing a blind man, or with an angel helping her.[3]
She is venerated in Brussels, and is invoked for eye troubles and toothache.[3]
Her feast day is given as 17 June by the Polish Breviary[5] but other Polish-language sources also recognise 16 June, 28 July and 16 December;[2] with 16 June and 16 December often being kept as the [name day] in Poland.[7][8][9] Her feast is cited as 19 June in Italy,[10] and 24 June by English-language sources.[1][3] It is kept locally on 16 June in the Brabant region of Belgium.[11] The Antiochian Orthodox Diocese of North America commemorates her on 18 June.[12] She does not appear in the index of the 2004 edition of the Roman Martyrology.[13]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Saint Alena at SQPN Accessed 2012-05-10.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Saint Alina at Ebobas Accessed 2012-05-10.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Saint of the Day for 24 June at St Patrick's Accessed 2012-05-10.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Church of Saint-Denis Accessed 2012-05-10.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Saint Alina at Brewiarz Accessed 2012-05-10.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Legend of Saint Alina Accessed 2012-05-11.
- ↑ Polish Name website Accessed 2013-06-14.
- ↑ Polish Historical Calendar website Accessed 2013-06-14.
- ↑ Blog by Alina from Koszalin Accessed 2013-06-14.
- ↑ Italian Baby Names - Alina Accessed 2012-05-10.
- ↑ Saint Aline at Nominis Accessed 2012-05-10.
- ↑ St. Alena, Martyr, of Belgium Accessed 2012-05-10.
- ↑ Martyrologium Romanum, 2004, Vatican Press (Typis Vaticanis), p. 697-844.