Description
Oil dedicated to St Amelia (for Bruises and bruising)
St Amelia, otherwise Amelia, was born at Brabantrelated, and was in some way related to Pepin of Landen. Whether she was a sister or niece, the Bollandists are not sure. She was married to Witger and became the mother of three saints: Gudila, Reinelda, and Emembertus.
Seventh century relative of Saint Pepin of Landen. Married young to Count Witger. Mother of Saint Gudula of Brussels, Saint Emebert, and Saint Reineldis, all of whom she taught herself, including religion. When the youngest was grown, both Amalburga and her husband retired to Benedictine houses, the Count to Lobbes, Belgium, Amalburga to Maubeuge Abbey where she embraced a life of asceticism and prayer. Received the veil from Saint Willibrord of Echternach. She once crossed a lake by riding on the back of a giant sturgeon, which led to her representation on or with a fish.
The Norman chroniclers speak of her as having been married twice, which seems to be erroneous. Nor are Pharailda and Ermelende admitted by the Bollandists to have been her children. She and her husband ultimately withdrew from the world; he becoming a monk, and she a nun. There is very great confusion in the records of this saint, and of a virgin who came a century after. To add to the difficulty a third St. Amalberga, also a virgin, appears in the twelfth century. The first two are celebrated simultaneously on July 10.
She died in 690 and is buried beside her husband at the Lobbes monastery. Her relics have been in Saint Peter’s abbey church in Ghent, Belgium since 1073. She is known to protect people against arm pain, bruises, and fever.
In art she is represented holding a palm and open book with a crown at her feet, standing on a giant sturgeon or other fish.
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