Rictrude (Rictrudis, Richtrudis, Richrudis) (c. 614–688) was abbess of

Marchiennes Abbey Marchiennes Abbey was a French monastery located on the Scarpe in Marchiennes. It was founded around 630 by Adalbard of Douai, and Irish monks, disciples of Saint Columbanus, on the advice of Saint Amand. One of its founders was Rictrude, who ...

, in

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

. The main early source for her life is the ''Vita Rictrudis'', commissioned by the abbey, and written in 907 by

Hucbald Hucbald ( – 20 June 930; also Hucbaldus or Hubaldus) was a Benedictine monk active as a music theorist, poet, composer, teacher, and hagiographer. He was long associated with Saint-Amand Abbey, so is often known as Hucbald of St Amand. Deeply i ...

Life

She was from a noble family in

Gascony Gascony (; ) was a province of the southwestern Kingdom of France that succeeded the Duchy of Gascony (602–1453). From the 17th century until the French Revolution (1789–1799), it was part of the combined Province of Guyenne and Gascon ...

, the daughter of Ernoldo, lord of Toulouse."Sant 'Adalbaldo", Santi e Beati, November 1, 2008
/ref> She married

Adalbard Adalbert I of Ostrevent (died 652) was a 7th-century Frankish nobleman of the court of King Clovis II of France. He is recognized as a saint, and is commemorated on both 2 February (his martyrdom) and 2 May (translation of his relics to Douai in ...

, Duke of Douai, despite the opposition of some members of her family. In Hucbald's account, this is shown deliberately as a model marriage. It is unclear whether she had four or five children. Her four known children were: Clotsinda, successor as abbess,

Adalsinda Adalsinda or Adalsindis of Hamay and Eusebia of Douai, were 7th-century Columban nuns, who were sisters from a prominent Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from around the middle of the 5th century unt ...

, Eusebia and

Maurantius Maurontius of Douai (634 – May 5, 702) was a nobleman and Benedictine abbot. His parents were Rictrude and Adalbard. He is a Catholic saint, with a feast day on May 5, especially venerated in Douai, France. His sisters Clotsinda, Adalsinda of ...

. The couple opened their castle to the poor and disadvantaged. The hermit-monk

Richarius Richarius of Celles (; ; – April 26, 645 AD) was a Frankish hermit, monk, and the founder of two monasteries. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Life Riquier's ''vita'' was probably written ...

was a family friend. Around the year 630, Adalbald founded

, on the advice of

Amandus Amandus ( 584 – 679), commonly called Saint Amand, was a bishop of Tongeren-Maastricht and one of the catholic missionaries of Flanders. He is venerated as a saint, particularly in France and Belgium. Life The chief source of details of his ...

of Maastricht. In 643, Rictrude made it a

double monastery A double monastery (also dual monastery or double house) is a monastery combining separate communities of monks and of nuns, joined in one institution to share one church and other facilities. The practice is believed to have started in the East ...

. Adalbard was murdered in obscure circumstances around 652, near Périgueux during a subsequent expedition to Aquitaine, probably by his wife's relatives still bitter about the marriage to an enemy of her people. After her husband's death, Rictrude resisted royal pressure to remarry and retired to Marchiennes Abbey, with her daughters and became abbess. In this she was supported by Amandus, Abbot of Elnon. Rectrude died in 688. Rictrude is recognized as a Catholic saint; her feast day is 12 May. As a pre-1054 Great (East-West) Schism Western Saint she is thus also recognised as a Saint by the

Orthodox Church Orthodox Church may refer to: * Eastern Orthodox Church, the second-largest Christian church in the world * Oriental Orthodox Churches, a branch of Eastern Christianity * Orthodox Presbyterian Church, a confessional Presbyterian denomination loc ...

and the

True Orthodox Church True Orthodox church, True Orthodox Christians, True Orthodoxy or Genuine Orthodoxy, often pejoratively "Zealotry", are groups of traditionalist Eastern Orthodox churches which since the 1920s have severed communion with the mainstream Eastern Ort ...

, and is additionally celebrated on 30 June in their liturgical calendars. Her four children are also saints.

Clotsinda

Born around 638, Clotsinda was a younger daughter of Rictrude and

duke of

Douai Douai ( , , ; ; ; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord département in northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe (rive ...

, In 688, she succeeded her mother as the second abbess of the

. She died around 714. Her siblings

Maurontius Maurontus was the Duke or Patrician of Provence in the early 8th century (720s and 730s). He aspired to independence in the face of Charles Martel, Duke of the Franks, and the Provençal patrician Abbo. Maurontus appeared in the ''Chronicle of ...

and Eusebia are also honored as saints. Her feast day is of May 5; Closinda is especially venerated in

. In the Orthodox faith, she is commemorated on June 30."30 Juin", Orthodoxie
/ref>

References

Sources

*Jo Ann McNamara, John E. Halborg, E. Gordon Whatley (1992), ''Sainted Women of the Dark Ages'', pp. 195–219 {{Authority control 688 deaths 7th-century Frankish saints 7th-century Frankish women Year of birth unknown Christian female saints of the Middle Ages Colombanian saints