Saint Walpurga

God made it known through a miracle that He approved of this admirable resolution: a horrible storm having arisen immediately after they had embarked on the Ocean, Walburge c aused it Walburge Sister of Winebald, abbess of the double monastery at Heidenheim. to cease suddenly through her prayers, when everyone believed themselves lost; so that this apostolic troop arrived happily in Germany. One cannot express the joy of Saint Boniface when he saw so many illustrious persons coming to dedicate themselves to the service of the Savior of the world, in a country where the mysteries of the faith were almost unknown. No sooner had our Saint arrived there than she withdrew to Thuringia, to her brother Gombaud, superior of seven monasteries of religious. This Saint, delighted to have such an excellent worker near him, had a religious house built, where she enclosed herself with other girls who wished to share in such a great good, and she began to give brilliant marks of her virtue, and more particularly of her fervor and her detachment from all things of the earth. But, some time later, Saint Gombaud, unable to endure the honors rendered to him in Thuringia because of his eminent holiness, resolved to withdraw elsewhere, where he could live more hidden. He therefore went to Bavaria to consult his brother Guillebaud, Bishop of Eichstätt; Guillebaud Brother of Winebaud, Bishop of Eichstätt. and, by the advice of this holy prelate and the liberality of Prince Utilon, he founded two famous monasteries at Heidenh Heidenheim Site of the foundation of the monastery of Winebaud. eim: one for men and the other for girls; he brought Saint Walburge to the latter to be its superior.

It was then that her holiness appeared in its most beautiful luster: obliged to make herself a model of perfection in the eyes of her nuns, she caused to be admired, in all her conduct, an ardent charity, a consummate wisdom, a profound humility, an extreme gentleness, a continuous prayer, a tireless mortification, and a true zeal for the glory of God and for religion. It is thus that after having holily governed this house, it pleased the Spouse of virgins to call her into His glory.

February 23, 778, according to the most probable opinion. She is honored on May 4, due to a translation of her relics.

Her body was buried by her brother Willibald in the same monastery of Heidenheim; it was transferred, nearly one hundred years l ater, to Eichstädt City where the saint's relics rest and where the miraculous oil flows. Eichstätt, through the piety of Otkar, bishop of the same city, who had had her canonized, shortly before, by Pope Adria pape Adrien II Pope reigning at the time of the saint's death. n II. But, in the course of time, her holy relics were transported to Furnes, along with those of Saints Willibald and Wunibald, through the care o f Gertrude, Countess of Fland Gertrude, comtesse de Flandre Countess who transferred the relics to Veurne. ers; nevertheless, some parts of them are found in several other churches, which have been enriched by them through the piety of princes and the devotion of the faithful.

Some miracles that the Saint performed during her life are recounted. She healed the daughter of a lord, who was nearly dying; all the nuns perceived a celestial light, which God had formed to serve as a torch for her when she was returning from the church to her convent. She had the power to prevent furious dogs, not only from approaching her, but even from barking at her; which gave rise to invoking her against the rabies of these animals. As for the numerous miracles performed after her death, they can be seen in the Bollandists: there is one that continues today and which is all the more remarkable: from her tomb in Eichstädt, an embalmed liquor flows, which i s collected with liqueur embaumée Miraculous substance flowing from her tomb in Eichstätt. respect and used for healings. This fact is expressed in her images by a vial placed in her hand or near her; at her feet is a crown that indicates her royal origin. Daughter of a saint, sister of two other saints, she is often associated with them in old prints.

The memory of Saint Walburga is very famous in France, Germany, England, and Flanders, as can be judged by the churches, monasteries, and other public places that are dedicated to her honor in all those countries. But she must not be confused with Saint Werburga, daughter of a King of the Mercians, of whom the Martyrology of England speaks on the 3rd of this month, nor with other Saint Walburgas, who were among the eleven thousand virgins, companions of Saint Ursula.

Acta Sanctorum; Characteristics of the Saints.