Adela of Pfalzel

Last updated
Saint Adela of Pfalzel
Died734 or 735
Feast 24 December

Adela of Pfalzel (d. 734 or 735), sometimes called Adula or Adolana, [1] [2] was a Frankish noblewoman, abbess, and Catholic saint. Some sources state that her father was Dagobert II and that her sister was Saint Irmina of Oeren. She married a man named Alberic; after he died, she entered the Benedictine monastery of Pfalzel, near Trier; she might have been the monastery's founder and first abbess. She died in Pfalzel in 735; her feast day is on December 24.

Contents

Life

Adela's father was Dagobert II; her mother's name was Matilda, an "Anglo-Saxon princess" [3] whom Dagobert married while hiding in Ireland from his enemies. She had one brother and three sisters, including Saint Irmina of Oeren. [3] It is not proven, however, that she was the daughter of Dagobert II and the sister of Saint Irmina. [4] She married Alberic; one source states that they had several children, but another source states that they had one son. [3]

According to the Acta Sanctorum, Adela was the founder and first abbess of the Benedictine monastery of Pfalzel, near Trier, which she entered after her husband died. [4] According to hagiographer Agnes Dunbar, however, the monastery was built for her by Dagobert II and Saint Modwald, archbishop of Trier, whose sister, Saint Severa, was the monastery's first abbess, although Adela succeeded her. Hagiographer Omer Englebert states, ""Her riches and her beauty brought many suitors for her hand; but following the example of her elder sister, she, too, became a nun and founded, about 690", the convent at Pfalzel. [3]

There is also some conflict in the sources regarding a story about Saint Gregory of Utrecht; the Acta Sanctorum states that he was either Adela's grandson or nephew, [4] while Dunbar states that he was her grandson. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, though, Gregory was related to Addula, another abbess of Pfalzel: "On account of the similarity of names, and in consequence of a forged last will, Addula has been frequently confounded with Adala (Adela), daughter of Dagobert II of Austrasia". [5] According to the story, Saint Boniface stopped at Pfalzel during his travels; Gregory was so impressed with Boniface's teaching that he became "one of his most zealous disciples", [4] despite Adela's objections.

Death and legacy

Adela died at the Pfaizel monastery on December 24, 735. [3] She left everything in her will to the monastery, except for an estate she bequeathed to her son. Her tomb was removed in 1802; her coffin, with its relics, was taken to Saint-Martin de Luché Church, a parish church in Northern France. The coffin was opened in 1868, but nothing was found inside except for a copy of her will and "a report from 1802". Also in 1802, the lead tablet and original cover of the tomb was discovered behind the church's high altar. In 1933, Adela's head and bones were found hidden under the same altar.

According the Acta Sanctorum, Adela's sainthood is questioned, although it is reported in a medieval lectionary, which also states that Adele was buried at the monastery in Pfalzel. [4] Her "worship seems uncertain" and medieval scholars Luc d'Achery and Jean Mabillon did not refer to her as a saint, but as "pious". The Acta Sanctorum states, however, that "she has a local and popular cult" [4] and lists two feast days: December 18 and December 24, which she shares with Saint Irmina. Adela's feast day is listed as December 24 in the French Martyrology and is mentioned, along with Irmina, in several other martyrologies. According to Dubar, "Adela, Irmina, and Clotilda form one of the Triads, who were probably heathen tribal goddesses. The pilgrimages to their shrines and the rites there observed retain traces of paganism".

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clotilde</span> Queen of the Franks as Clovis Is wife

Clotilde, is a saint and was a Queen of the Franks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willibrord</span> Bishop and saint from Northumbria

Willibrord was an Anglo-Saxon monk, bishop, and missionary. He became the first Bishop of Utrecht in what is now the Netherlands, dying at Echternach in Luxembourg, and is known as the "Apostle to the Frisians".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gertrude of Nivelles</span> Benedictine abbess and saint (c. 628–659)

Gertrude of Nivelles, OSB was a seventh-century abbess who, with her mother Itta, founded the Abbey of Nivelles, now in Belgium. She is venerated in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jutta of Kulmsee</span> German hermit and saint of the Roman Catholic Church

Jutta of Kulmsee, was a German member of the Third Order of Saint Francis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory of Utrecht</span> Frankish bishop and saint

Gregory of Utrecht was born of a noble family at Trier. He became a follower of Saint Boniface, who sent him to study at the Monastery of Saint Michael at Ohrdruf. He then accompanied Boniface on his missionary journeys. In 750, Boniface appointed Gregory abbot of St. Martin's Monastery in Utrecht. St. Martin's became a centre of learning and missionary activity. When, in 754, Eoban left to accompany Boniface on their last missionary trip, Gregory was tasked with administering the diocese of Utrecht, which he did faithfully for the next twenty-three years until his death in 776.

<i>Martyrologium Hieronymianum</i> 5th-century Christian text

The Martyrologium Hieronymianum or Martyrologium sancti Hieronymi is an ancient martyrology or list of Christian martyrs in calendar order, one of the most used and influential of the Middle Ages. It is the oldest surviving general or "universal" martyrology, and the precursor of all later Western martyrologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mildburh</span>

Mildburh was the Benedictine abbess of Wenlock Priory. Her feast day is 23 February.

Hugobert was a seneschal and a count of the palace at the Merovingian court during the reigns of Theuderic III and Childebert III. He was a grandson of the dux Theotar, and it is assumed, but not proven, that his father was Chugus, who in 617 became mayor of the palace of Austrasia. The juxtaposition of names in the Vita Landiberto episcopi Traiectensis may imply a relationship between him and the family of Saint Lambert.

Regintrud, also known as Reginlind and Regentrud, was probably the wife of Duke Theodbert of Bavaria or of his father Duke Theodo of Bavaria. A possibly identical Regintrud became abbess of Nonnberg Abbey in 720–725. However, details about her ancestry and life are widely disputed among historians.

Trasilla and Emiliana were aunts of Pope Gregory I and are venerated as virgin saints of the sixth century. They appear in the Roman Martyrology, Trasilla on 24 December, Emiliana on 5 January.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erentrude</span> Roman Catholic saint (died 718)

Erentrude was a saint and abbess, born during the end of the 7th century, probably in present-day Germany or Austria. She was born into a Franconian-Merovingian royal house, and was the niece of Rupert of Salzburg. She left her home country to assist Rupert in establishing religious communities in Salzburg; in about 700, he built a convent, Nonnberg Abbey, and installed her as its first abbess. She and the nuns at Nonnberg served the poor, needy, and ill, striking a balance between living as cloistered nuns and engaging in charitable works. Erentrude died on 30 June 718. Her fame for healing miracles and intercession grew after her death, and many legends have arisen throughout the centuries since her death. In 2006, Erentrude's image appeared on the Austrian Nonnberg Abbey commemorative coin. Her feast day is celebrated on 30 June.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Godeberta</span>

Godeberta was a saint and abbess. She was born of "pious parents" in Amiens, France, north of Paris. Her parents were nobles attached to the king's court, so she was carefully educated. When Godeberta was old enough, her father took her to the king's court to obtain permission to "marry her to someone of suitable rank and fortune". Saint Eligius, who was present at court, was able to see that she wanted to "dedicate her virginity to God", and took off his episcopal ring and placed it on her finger in the presence of the king, pronouncing her a nun. Godeberta refused offers of marriage by her noble suitors, and the king, impressed with her zeal and conduct, endowed Godeberta with a small palace in nearby Noyon, north of France, with a chapel dedicated to Saint George. She turned her home into a monastery, where she was abbess for 12 young women. She chose Eligius as her spiritual guide.

Heribert Rosweyde was a Jesuit hagiographer. His work, quite unfinished, was taken up by Jean Bolland who systematized it, while broadening its perspective. This is the beginning of the association of the Bollandists.

Saint Ada, was a saint and abbess. She was the niece or granddaughter of Saint Englebert, bishop of Le Mans.

Glodesind (572−608) was a saint, nun, abbess, and founder of a convent in Metz, France, during the time of King Childebert II (575−596) of Austrasia. She was a member of the Carolingian nobility. When she was 11 or 12 years old, she married a young nobleman, who was arrested by the French government shortly after their wedding and executed a year later. Instead of remarrying as her family wanted, she fled to Metz and took refuge at the Church of St. Stephen. Her family gave up forcing her to marry, and she became a nun and later, the abbess of a convent that was built by her parents. She was abbess for six years until her death in 608 at the age of 30. Her feast day is 8 July.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clare of Assisi</span> Foundress of the Franciscan Second Order and saint

Chiara Offreduccio, known as Clare of Assisi, is an Italian saint who was one of the first followers of Francis of Assisi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irmina of Oeren</span>

Irmina of Oeren was a saint, founder and abbess of a convent in Oeren, near Trier (Trèves), and co-founder of a convent in Echternach. Hagiographer Basil Watkins states that Irmina's 12th century biography is "unreliable" and it is likely that "legends about her family tree spiralled out of control", but she came from one of the most powerful families in the Merovingian kingdom. She might have been Saint Primina, the daughter of Dagobert I and sister of Saint Modesta. She might have been the daughter of Dagobert II and sister of Saint Adela of Pfalze. Historian Ian Wood stated that Irmina is "traditionally, and probably correctly, identified as Plectrude's mother".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">December 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)</span> Day in the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar

December 23 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - December 25

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madelberte of Maubeuge</span> 7th-century nun

Saint Madelberte of Maubeuge was a 7th-century nun related to the Merovingian dynasty. She became abbess of Maubeuge Abbey in the County of Hainaut, now in northern France near the Belgian border. She died in 705 or 706.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Modesta</span> Founder and Abbess of the monastery in Trier

Saint Modesta was the founder and abbess of the monastery of Oeren in Trier, Germany.

References

  1. Dunbar, Agnes B.C. (1904). "St Adela (2)". A Dictionary of Saintly Women. Vol. 1. London: George Bell and Sons. p. 3.
  2. Englebert, Omer (1951). The Lives of the Saints. Translated by Fremantle, Christopher; Fremantle, Anne. New York: Barns & Noble. p. 487. ISBN   1-56619-516-0.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Englebert, Omer (1951). The Lives of the Saints. Barnes & Noble. p. 487. ISBN   1-56619-516-0.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Zimmermann, Alfonso M. (1 February 2001). "Sant' Adele di Pfalzel". Santie Beati (in Italian). Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  5. Mershman, Francis (1 June 1910). "Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Gregory of Utrecht". New Advent. Retrieved 9 November 2024.