Saint Gudula was born in the pagus of Brabant (in present-day Belgium). According to her 11th-century biography (Vita Gudilae), written by a monk of the abbey of Hautmont between 1048 and 1051, she was the daughter of a duke of Lotharingia called Witger and Amalberga of Maubeuge. She died between 680 and 714.
From New York Public Library, MA 092, fol. 251, HaarlemGradual of 1494, depiction of Saint Gudula bearing a lantern which the demon endeavors to extinguish
The mother of Gudula, Saint Amalberga, embraced the religious life in the abbey of Maubeuge. She received the veil from the hands of St. Aubert, Bishop of Cambrai (d. about 668). Gudula had two sisters, St. Pharaildis and St. Reineldis, and one brother, Saint Emebertus.[1]
Gudula was educated in the abbey of Nivelles by her godmother, Gertrude of Nivelles. When Gertrude died, Gudula moved back to her home at Moorsel, spending her time in good works and religious devotion. She was profuse in her alms for the poor,[2] and frequently visited the church of Moorsel, situated about two miles from her parents' house.[1] Nothing particular is recorded of Gudula beyond the singular holiness of her life.[3]
Gudula died and was buried at Hamme (Flemish Brabant). Later her relics were removed to the church of St. Salvator in Moorsel, where the body was interred behind the altar. During the reign of Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine (977–992), the body of the saint was transferred to Saint Gaugericus' chapel in Brussels.[1]Lambert II, Count of Leuven, (d. 1054) founded a chapter in 1047 in honour of Saint Gudula. Bishop Gerardus I of Cambrai (d. 1051) led the translation of her relics to the church of Saint Michael in Brussels. The church later became the famous Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula.[4] Her vita was written by Hubert of Brabant in the eleventh century.[2]
On 6 June 1579, the collegiate church was pillaged and wrecked by the Protestant Geuzen ("Beggars"), and the relics of the saint were disinterred and scattered.
Along with St. Michael, Gudula is a patron saint of Brussels.[4]
The feast of Saint Gudula is generally celebrated on 8 January (the day she died according her hagiography).[5] However, in the diocese of Ghent (where Moorsel is situated) her feast is held on 19 January.
The flower called tremella deliquescens, which bears fruit in the beginning of January, is known as Sinte Goedele's lampken (St. Gudula's lantern).
The woodcarvers who produced statues of the saints born in the Holy Roman Empire, often depicted St. Gudula with a taper in her hand, but this originates probably out of confusion with the Paris Saint Geneveva tradition.
The skull of St. Gudula is conserved in the Catholic Church of St. Hildegard in Eibingen, Germany.
IconographyEdit
Gudula is often pictured holding a lantern. She is depicted on a seal of the Church of St. Gudula of 1446 holding in her right hand a candle, and in her left a lamp, which a demon tries to extinguish. This refers to the legend that the saint went to church before cock-crow. The demon, wishing to stray her off the right way, extinguished the candle, but the saint obtained from God that her lantern should be rekindled.[5]
^ abFernando Lanzi, Fernando and Gioia, "Gudula of Brussels, Virgin", Saints and Their Symbols, Liturgical Press, 2004, ISBN9780814629703 p. 127
SourcesEdit
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: L van der Essen (1913). "St. Gudula". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Primary sourcesEdit
Vita prima sanctae Gudilae auctore anonymo on the LatinWikisource
Vita ampliata sanctae Gudilae auctore Huberto on the LatinWikisource
Bollandus J., Henschenius G., De S. Gudila Virgine Bruxellis in Belgio, Acta Sanctorum Januarii I (1643) 524–530.
Secondary sourcesEdit
Bonenfant, P., 'La charte de foundation du chapitre de Sainte-Gudule à Bruxelles', Bulletin de la Commission Royale d'Histoire 115 (1950) 17–58.
van der Essen, L., 'Etude critique et littéraire sur les vitae des saints Mérovingiens', Recueil de travaux publiées par les membres des conférences d'histoire et de philologie 17 (Leuven 1907) 296–311.
Riethe, P., 'Der Schädel der heiligen Gudula aus der Pfarrkirche von Eibingen. Eine historisch-anthropologische Studie', Nassauische Annalen Jahrbuch des Vereins für nassauische Altertumskunde und Geschichtsforschung Band 67 (1956) 233.
Van Droogenbroeck, F. J., 'Onulfus van Hautmont (ca. 1048), auteur van de Vita S. Gudilae anonymo', Eigen Schoon en De Brabander 95 (2012) 595–643.
Van Droogenbroeck, F. J., Nova miracula de exemplis veteribus (2016)
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saint Gudula.
gudula, saint, born, pagus, brabant, present, belgium, according, 11th, century, biography, vita, gudilae, written, monk, abbey, hautmont, between, 1048, 1051, daughter, duke, lotharingia, called, witger, amalberga, maubeuge, died, between, saint, brabantfrom,. Saint Gudula was born in the pagus of Brabant in present day Belgium According to her 11th century biography Vita Gudilae written by a monk of the abbey of Hautmont between 1048 and 1051 she was the daughter of a duke of Lotharingia called Witger and Amalberga of Maubeuge She died between 680 and 714 SaintGudula of BrabantFrom New York Public Library MA 092 fol 251 Haarlem Gradual of 1494 depiction of Saint Gudula bearing a lantern which the demon endeavors to extinguishBornc 646 Pagus of BrabantDied680 714Hamme FranciaVenerated inRoman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox ChurchMajor shrineEibingen St Michael and Gudula CathedralFeast8 January 19 January in the Diocese of GhentAttributesdepicted as a woman with lantern which the devil tries to blow outPatronageBrussels single laywomenHer name is connected to several places Moorsel where she lived Brussels where a chapter in her honour was founded in 1047 Eibingen where the relic of her skull is conserved In Brabant she is usually called Goedele or Goule Latin Gudila later Gudula Dutch Sinte Goedele French Sainte Gudule Contents 1 Life 2 Veneration 2 1 Iconography 3 See also 4 References 5 Sources 5 1 Primary sources 5 2 Secondary sources 6 External linksLife EditThe mother of Gudula Saint Amalberga embraced the religious life in the abbey of Maubeuge She received the veil from the hands of St Aubert Bishop of Cambrai d about 668 Gudula had two sisters St Pharaildis and St Reineldis and one brother Saint Emebertus 1 Gudula was educated in the abbey of Nivelles by her godmother Gertrude of Nivelles When Gertrude died Gudula moved back to her home at Moorsel spending her time in good works and religious devotion She was profuse in her alms for the poor 2 and frequently visited the church of Moorsel situated about two miles from her parents house 1 Nothing particular is recorded of Gudula beyond the singular holiness of her life 3 Gudula died and was buried at Hamme Flemish Brabant Later her relics were removed to the church of St Salvator in Moorsel where the body was interred behind the altar During the reign of Charles Duke of Lower Lorraine 977 992 the body of the saint was transferred to Saint Gaugericus chapel in Brussels 1 Lambert II Count of Leuven d 1054 founded a chapter in 1047 in honour of Saint Gudula Bishop Gerardus I of Cambrai d 1051 led the translation of her relics to the church of Saint Michael in Brussels The church later became the famous Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula 4 Her vita was written by Hubert of Brabant in the eleventh century 2 On 6 June 1579 the collegiate church was pillaged and wrecked by the Protestant Geuzen Beggars and the relics of the saint were disinterred and scattered Veneration Edit nbsp Statue of Saint Gudula in the Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula BrusselsAlong with St Michael Gudula is a patron saint of Brussels 4 The feast of Saint Gudula is generally celebrated on 8 January the day she died according her hagiography 5 However in the diocese of Ghent where Moorsel is situated her feast is held on 19 January Charlemagne made donations to the convent of Moorsel in her honour The flower called tremella deliquescens which bears fruit in the beginning of January is known as Sinte Goedele s lampken St Gudula s lantern The woodcarvers who produced statues of the saints born in the Holy Roman Empire often depicted St Gudula with a taper in her hand but this originates probably out of confusion with the Paris Saint Geneveva tradition The skull of St Gudula is conserved in the Catholic Church of St Hildegard in Eibingen Germany Iconography Edit Gudula is often pictured holding a lantern She is depicted on a seal of the Church of St Gudula of 1446 holding in her right hand a candle and in her left a lamp which a demon tries to extinguish This refers to the legend that the saint went to church before cock crow The demon wishing to stray her off the right way extinguished the candle but the saint obtained from God that her lantern should be rekindled 5 See also EditSaint Gudula patron saint archiveReferences Edit a b c Van der Essen Leon St Gudula The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 7 New York Robert Appleton Company 1910 11 May 2018 a b St Gudula Virgin Patroness of Brussels Butler Alban The Lives of the Saints Volume I January 1866 Jameson Anna Sacred and Legendary Art Volume 2 Longmans Green 1891 p 779 a b Cathedrale St Michel a b Fernando Lanzi Fernando and Gioia Gudula of Brussels Virgin Saints and Their Symbols Liturgical Press 2004 ISBN 9780814629703 p 127Sources Edit nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain L van der Essen 1913 St Gudula In Herbermann Charles ed Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company Primary sources Edit Vita prima sanctae Gudilae auctore anonymo on the Latin Wikisource Vita ampliata sanctae Gudilae auctore Huberto on the Latin Wikisource Bollandus J Henschenius G De S Gudila Virgine Bruxellis in Belgio Acta Sanctorum Januarii I 1643 524 530 Secondary sources Edit Bonenfant P La charte de foundation du chapitre de Sainte Gudule a Bruxelles Bulletin de la Commission Royale d Histoire 115 1950 17 58 Podevijn R Hubert l auteur de la vita Gudulae Revue Belge de Philologie et d Histoire 15 1936 489 496 Podevijn Etude critique sur la Vita Gudulae Revue Belge de Philologie et d Histoire 2 1923 619 641 Lefevre P Une conjecture a propos de la date et de l auteur du Vita Gudile Belgisch Tijdschrift voor Filologie en Geschiedenis 14 1 Brussel 1935 98 101 van der Essen L Etude critique et litteraire sur les vitae des saints Merovingiens Recueil de travaux publiees par les membres des conferences d histoire et de philologie 17 Leuven 1907 296 311 Riethe P Der Schadel der heiligen Gudula aus der Pfarrkirche von Eibingen Eine historisch anthropologische Studie Nassauische Annalen Jahrbuch des Vereins fur nassauische Altertumskunde und Geschichtsforschung Band 67 1956 233 Van Droogenbroeck F J Onulfus van Hautmont ca 1048 auteur van de Vita S Gudilae anonymo Eigen Schoon en De Brabander 95 2012 595 643 Van Droogenbroeck F J Nova miracula de exemplis veteribus 2016 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saint Gudula St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral Brussels Pfarrei St Hildegard Eibingen with Information of the Church and the shrine of saint GudulaPortals nbsp Saints nbsp Biography nbsp Catholicism nbsp Belgium Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gudula amp oldid 1178244519, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
