The Basics: Born about 630 in Belgium; died about 700 in Belgium; canonized pre-congregation; feast day, July 16. Woman religious, martyr.
The Story: Some saints are best known for what they did here on earth. But for some, it’s the good they did after death that keeps their names alive.
Renelde grew up in a family of people who would become saints (including her better-known sister Gudula; her mother, Amalberga; and her brother, Emebert). How she came to become a woman religious is unclear; some accounts indicate both her parents entered abbeys (as did her sister) but for whatever reason, Renelde was not allowed to do so.
So, she did what today we might consider the unexpected: She embarked on a seven-year trip to the Holy Land, with an entourage of only 
two. When she returned to Belgium, she gave away her worldly goods and became a recluse. We might think the story ends there, but we would be wrong. Invading forces came to town, and Renelde and two clerics were murdered.
But that is not the end of the story either. For that, we need to fast-forward several centuries. The devotion to her might have begun with her town being spared from a 14th century plague, or something else may have prompted it. Regardless, the weekend after Pentecost each year in Saintes, Belgium, there’s a festival that begins on Saturday evening with Renelde’s remains put on a chariot. A lengthy parade occurs the following day, and at the end, residents pay their respects. The chariot makes a number of stops before the event wraps up on Monday morning. And so, the memory of a woman religious and martyr lives on in a somehwat unusual way.
What We Can Learn from Renelde: It can be easy to make light of some devotions to saints. However, let’s remember that they typically have a strong faith basis–and educate ourselves before judging others’ practices.
To Learn More About Renelde: Read the entry about her in Darley Dale’s Anchoresses of the West. Or, learn more about the St. Renelde Tour at the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
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.
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