Saint Lioba

Lioba was placed in the monastery of Wimborne (in Dorset), which was governed by t he holy Abbess Tette sainte abbesse Tette Abbess of Wimborne and sister of the King of England. , who was even more distinguished by her wisdom and virtues than by the august title of sister to the King of England. There, she made great progress in the science of the saints and took the religious veil. She was a person of great virtue, with an angelic countenance, rare prudence, and a charity ready for any sacrifice; on her features shone a constant, gentle joy, full of decency, equally removed from somber sadness and unrestrained gaiety, which manifests itself in laughter. Our young professed nun possessed knowledge rare for a person of her sex; she understood Latin and even composed verses in that language, as can be seen in her letters to Saint Boniface. She read the Holy Scriptures assiduously, penetrated their meaning with great sagacity, and engraved the most remarkable passages into her memory; to the study of the Old and New Testaments, she even added that of the Holy Fathers, the decrees of the councils, and ecclesiastical law. Superior to all her sisters, she believed herself to be the least of them all, and this humility, which she held in her heart, appeared in her entire demeanor. She practiced hospitality with admirable zeal: she served food to all the guests who presented themselves, while she herself remained fasting, and washed their feet with her own hands.

Saint Boniface Saint Boniface Apostle of Germany who called upon Burchard to assist him. , who was in correspondence with her and knew of her merit, urgently requested her abbess and her bishop to send her to him along with several other nuns. His goal was to employ them in establishing a monastery in Germany for persons of their sex. Tette consented only with great difficulty to the departure of the one she regarded as the most precious treasure of her house. Lioba arrived in Germany around the year 748. Saint Boniface established her, along with her companions, in the monastery that has since been called Bischofsheim (diocese of Mainz), that is to say, Bishop's House. The prudence and zeal of our Saint soon made the new establishment famous. The community became so numerous that it was able to provide enough nuns to populate various monasteries that were founded in Germany. Some time after the martyrdom of Saint Boniface, Lioba retired to one of these new monasteries called Schonersheim, located about two leagues from Mainz. She continued to live there in the practice of fasting and prayer. Charlemagne, who later became emperor, was filled Charlemagne Emperor of the Franks and uncle of Saint Folquin. with veneration for her; and Hildegard, the wife of this prince, had h er come to Hildegarde Queen of the Franks and wife of Charlemagne. Aachen to consult her on several important matters. Lioba strongly resisted the solicitations made by the queen for her to remain at court; she returned to her monastery, where she died on September 28, 779. She was buried at Fulda (Hesse-Kassel), near Saint Boniface, and several mir acles Fulde Burial place of Saint Lioba and Saint Boniface. occurred at her tomb.

Saint Lioba is depicted praying beside a child who had just been found dead in the water. This refers to an infanticide that had been attributed to the nuns of Bischofsheim; the prayers of Saint Lioba obtained that the true culprit was forced to confess her crime; it was an unfortunate woman who was fed at the abbey gate and who remained possessed by the devil.

Proper of Mainz; Goësscard; Acta Sanctorum; Fa Acta Sanctorum Monumental hagiographic collection by the Bollandists. ther Cahier, Characteristics of the Saints.

Proper of Mainz; Goësscard; Acta Sanctorum; Father Cahier, Characteristics of the Saints.