The Basics: Born in the 7th century in England; died c. 700 in England; canonized precongregation; feast day, November 19. Wife, mother, woman religious.
The Story: It was probably not the way Ermenberga expected to spend the final thirty or so years of her life. She was the daughter and granddaughter of kings in the Kent region, and married Merewald, a ruler in his own right. The couple had a son who died at an early age, and three daughters–Mildred, Mildgyth, and Milburga.
The daughters appear to have been adults or very close to adulthood when the reigning king, Egbert of Kent, tacitly supported the 
assassinations of Ermenberga’s two brothers. (Both are now considered saints.) Struck by the horror of what his lack of intervention had done, Egbert agreed to atone for the crimes by giving land on Thanet Isle to his niece to establish a convent. Legend has it that Ermenberga had a tame deer, and asked that the parcel total the amount of land the animal could cover in an hour. Egbert agreed, and ended up having to give Ermenberga 10,000 acres.
Precise dates are a bit hazy, but it appears that after Merewald’s death, Ermenberga established a convent on the land, serving as its abbess for two decades or more, and leading the women in a life of prayer and contemplation. She became known as Domneva (lady abbot). Her daughter Mildred joined the community and became abbess upon her mother’s death. Mildred and her sisters all are regarded as saints.
Ermenberga’s Wisdom: “Be thou blessed and happy; may thou be rewarded before the Throne of God, and numbered with the choir of virgins” (her welcome to Mildred to the community).
What We Can Learn from Ermenberga: Consider the grief and despair Ermenberga must have felt upon hearing of her brothers’ murders, and of her husband’s death. Yet she found solace in the Lord. Let’s think about that we are tempted to become bitter over events in our lives.
To Learn More About Ermenberga: Check out the site for the Benedictine Nuns of Minster’s history, or read the Life of St. Mildred, one of her daughters.
To Learn More About Other Women Saints and Blesseds: Come back next week, or consider buying my book, Sisterhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration.
