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Saint Waltrude (; ; ; ; died April 9, 688 AD) is the
/ref> Waltrude married Vincent Madelgarius, the Count of Hainault. They had four children: * Aldetrude, abbess of Maubeuge Abbey * Landry of Soignies, Roman Catholic Bishop of Metz * Madelberte of Maubeuge, succeeded Aldetrude as abbess of Mauberge * Dentelin of Mons"Waltrude, her life and her works", Wallonia tourism
/ref>
Around 642 Madelgarius founded the monastery known as Hautmont Abbey. Waltrude persuaded Saint Ghislain to establish an oratory at a place called Ursidongus, now known as Saint-Ghislain. The city of Mons grew around it.
Around 656, after the death of the young Dentelin, the couple decided to separate and retire to separate monasteries. Madelgarius went to Hautmont, where he became a Benedictine monk. Hydulphe of Hainault, husband of her cousin Aye, built her a cell and chapel near Ghislain's oratory. She was sometimes visited by her sister Aldegonde of Maubeuge.
Her biography celebrates her for "the pious intention under vow to free captives. She arranged the ransom price 'pretium'' weighed out the silver. ... When the captives had been bought back with the ransom money out of her own purse, at her command they returned to their families and homes."Schulenburg, Jane Tibbetts. ''Forgetful of their Sex: Female Sanctity and Society, ca. 500-1100''. Chicago, Illinois: The University of Chicago Press. . p. 76.
Upon her death, established by tradition as falling on 9 April 688, Waltrude was proclaimed holy by the vox populi. Waltrude is the patron saint of the city of Mons.
The shrine of Saint Waltrude is kept in the Saint Waltrude Collegiate Church in Mons. Each year, as part of the Ducasse de Mons festival, the shrine is placed on the ''car d'or'', a gilded cart, and drawn by horses through the city streets.
Both her parents ( Walbert IV and Bertille) and her sister ( Aldegund) were canonized. Her four children were also declared saints ( Landericus, Dentelin, Aldetrude, and Madelberte) as was her husband ( Madelgaire).
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...
of Mons, Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
, where she is known in French as Sainte Waudru, and of Herentals, Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
, where she is known in Dutch as Sint-Waldetrudis or -Waltrudis. Both cities boast a large medieval church that bears her name.
Life
Waltrude was born in Cousolre in northern France, to a wealthy and influential noble family. According to Alban Butler, she was a sister to Aldegonde, foundress of Maubeuge Abbey. She was also cousin to Saint Aye.Dunbar, Agnes Baillie Cunninghame. ''A Dictionary of Saintly Women'', Volume 2, Bell, 1905, p. 298/ref> Waltrude married Vincent Madelgarius, the Count of Hainault. They had four children: * Aldetrude, abbess of Maubeuge Abbey * Landry of Soignies, Roman Catholic Bishop of Metz * Madelberte of Maubeuge, succeeded Aldetrude as abbess of Mauberge * Dentelin of Mons"Waltrude, her life and her works", Wallonia tourism
/ref>
Around 642 Madelgarius founded the monastery known as Hautmont Abbey. Waltrude persuaded Saint Ghislain to establish an oratory at a place called Ursidongus, now known as Saint-Ghislain. The city of Mons grew around it.
Around 656, after the death of the young Dentelin, the couple decided to separate and retire to separate monasteries. Madelgarius went to Hautmont, where he became a Benedictine monk. Hydulphe of Hainault, husband of her cousin Aye, built her a cell and chapel near Ghislain's oratory. She was sometimes visited by her sister Aldegonde of Maubeuge.
Her biography celebrates her for "the pious intention under vow to free captives. She arranged the ransom price 'pretium'' weighed out the silver. ... When the captives had been bought back with the ransom money out of her own purse, at her command they returned to their families and homes."Schulenburg, Jane Tibbetts. ''Forgetful of their Sex: Female Sanctity and Society, ca. 500-1100''. Chicago, Illinois: The University of Chicago Press. . p. 76.
Veneration
Upon her death, established by tradition as falling on 9 April 688, Waltrude was proclaimed holy by the vox populi. Waltrude is the patron saint of the city of Mons.
The shrine of Saint Waltrude is kept in the Saint Waltrude Collegiate Church in Mons. Each year, as part of the Ducasse de Mons festival, the shrine is placed on the ''car d'or'', a gilded cart, and drawn by horses through the city streets.
Both her parents ( Walbert IV and Bertille) and her sister ( Aldegund) were canonized. Her four children were also declared saints ( Landericus, Dentelin, Aldetrude, and Madelberte) as was her husband ( Madelgaire).
References
{{Use British English Oxford spelling, date=May 2018 7th-century births 688 deaths 7th-century Frankish saints Female saints of medieval Belgium Colombanian saints 7th-century Frankish nuns 7th-century Christian nuns Merovingian saints