Wednesday’s Woman: St. Hunegund

The Basics: Born after 600 in France; died in 690 in France; canonized precongregation; feast day, August 25. Woman religious. The Story: Many of us have stories about old love interests, but few end the way Hunegund’s did. Born into a wealthy family, the first spouse Hunegund’s family planned for her died in childhood. The second was a… Continue reading Wednesday’s Woman: St. Hunegund

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk

The Basics: Born in 1110 in Belarus; died in 1173 in Israel; canonized in 1984 by John Paul II; feast day, May 23. Woman religious, composer. The Story: Euphrosyne’s sixty-plus years were full of reboots and redirections. The daughter of nobility, she rebelled when her parents were making plans for her marriage. (She was only twelve.) The child… Continue reading Wednesday’s Woman: St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Theodora of Alexandria

The Basics: Died about 491 in Egypt; canonized precongregation; feast day, September 11. Penitent. The Story: There are any number of stories of women who went on to become saints passing as men for great swathes of their lives. Many are difficult to document. One of the more believable accounts is that of Theodora of Alexandria, who… Continue reading Wednesday’s Woman: St. Theodora of Alexandria

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Margaret of Antioch

The Basics: Born in 289 in Turkey; died in 304; canonized precongregation; feast day, July 20. Martyr. The Story: Margaret’s story is by turns fantastic and comforting. Her mother died when she was young, and she spent a fair amount of time with the woman who nursed her, even as Margaret aged. Eventually, she became a Christian… Continue reading Wednesday’s Woman: St. Margaret of Antioch