Hedwig (or Hedwigis) was born in 1174 to Berthold IV, Count of Andechs and Duke of Croatia and Dalmatia. She had four brothers and three sisters. Of these, two brothers became bishops, Ekbert of Bamberg and Berthold of Aquileia, Otto succeeded his father as Duke of Dalmatia and Heinrich became Margrave of Istria. Gertrude married King Andrew II of Hungary and became the mother of Saint Elizabeth (Landgravine of Thuringia), Mechtilde became the Abbess of Kitzingen and Agnes became the unlawful wife of King Philip II of France. From childhood Hedwig was remarkable for her self-control, for at that age she refrained from all childish sports. While still a child she was married to Duke Henry of Silesia with whom she had six children. Later they mutually agreed to lead separate lives of spiritual perfection but Hedwig continued to assist and comfort her husband in the many political troubles he encountered.
After his death Hedwig took the Cistercian habit at the monastery of Trebnitz where she gave herself up to divine contemplation, spending from sunrise until midday assisting at the Divine Office and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. She would neither speak of worldly affairs nor hear them spoken of unless they affected the interests of God or the salvation of souls. All her actions were governed by prudence and it was impossible to find in them anything excessive or disorderly. She was full of gentleness and affability towards all. She triumphed completely over her flesh by afflicting it with fasting, watching and rough garments. She was adorned with the noblest Christian virtues. She was exceedingly prudent in giving counsel and pure and tranquil in mind so as to be a model of religious perfection. She ever strove to place herself below all the nuns, eagerly choosing the lowest offices in the house. She served the poor on her knees, and washed and kissed the feet of lepers, so far overcoming herself as not to be repulsed by their loathsome ulcers.
Hedwig died in 1243 and was canonised in 1267 by Pope Clement IV.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
At the beginning of the thirteenth century the plateau of Upper Asia poured down a fresh torrent of barbarians more terrible than all their predecessors. The one fragile barrier which the Graeco-Slavonian civilisation could oppose to the Mongols had been swept away by the first wave of the invasion. Not one of the States formed under the protection of the Byzantine Church had any prospect for the future. But beyond this Ruthania, which had fallen into dissolution before being conquered, the Roman Church had had time to form a brave and generous people. When the hour arrived, Poland was ready. The Mongols were already inundating Silesia when, in the plains of Liegnitz, they found themselves confronted by an army of 30,000 warriors headed by the Duke of Silesia, Henry the Pious. The encounter was terrible. The victory remained long undecided until at length, by the odious treason of some Ruthanian princes, it turned in favour of the barbarians. Duke Henry and the flower of the Polish knighthood were left on the battlefield. But their defeat was equal to a victory. The Mongols retired exhausted, for they had measured their strength with the soldiers of the Latin Christianity.
It is Poland’s happy lot that at each decisive epoch in its history a Saint appears to point out the road to the attainment of its glorious destiny. Over the battlefield of Liegnitz shines the gentle figure of Saint Hedwig, mother of Duke Henry the Pious. She had retired in her widowhood into the Cistercian monastery of Trebnitz founded by herself. Three years before the coming of the barbarians she had had a revelation touching the future fate of her son. She offered her sacrifice in silence, and far from discouraging the young duke, she was the first to animate him to resistance.
The night following the battle she awoke one of her companions and said to her: “Demundis, know that I have lost my son. My beloved son has fled from me like a bird on the wing. I will never see my son again in this life.” Demundis endeavoured to console her. No courier had arrived from the army and her fears were vain. “It is but too true,” replied the duchess, “but mention it to no-one.” Three days later the fatal news was confirmed. “It is the will of God,” said Hedwig, “what God wills, and what pleases Him, must please us also.” And rejoicing in the Lord: “I thank you, O my God,” said she, raising her hands and eyes to Heaven, “for having given me such a son. He loved me all his life, always treated me with great respect, and never grieved me. I much desired to have him with me on Earth, but I congratulate him with my whole soul, for that by the shedding of his blood he is united with you in Heaven, with you his Creator. I recommend his soul to you, O Lord my God.” No less an example was needed to sustain Poland under the new it had just accepted.
At Liegnitz it had raised up again the sword of Christendom, fallen from the feeble hands of Ruthania. It became henceforth as a watchful sentinel, ever ready to defend Europe against the barbarians. Ninety-three times did the Tartars rush upon Christendom, thirsting for blood and rapine: ninety-three times Poland repulsed them at the edge of the sword, or had the grief to see the country laid waste, the towns burnt down, the flower of the nation carried into captivity. By these sacrifices it bore the brunt of the invasion and deadened the blow for the rest of Europe. As long as blood and tears and victims were required, Poland gave them unstintedly while the other European nations enjoyed the security purchased by this continual immolation.
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Daughter of Abraham according to faith, you imitated his heroism. Your first reward was to find a worthy son in him you offered to the Lord. Your example is most welcome in this month in which the Church sets before us the death of Judas Maccabeus. As glorious as his was the death of your Henry, but it was also a fruitful death. Of your six children he alone, the Isaac offered and immolated to God, was permitted to propagate your race. And yet what a posterity is yours, since all the royal families of Europe can claim to be of your lineage! “I will make you increase exceedingly, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come out of you” (Genesis xvii. 6). This promise made to the Father of the faithful is fulfilled once more on your behalf, O Hedwig. God never changes. He has no need to make a new engagement. A like fidelity in any age earns from Him a like reward. May you be blessed by all, O Mother of nations! Extend over all your powerful protection, but above all others, by God’s permission, may unfortunate Poland find by experience that your patronage is never invoked in vain!Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
In Africa, two hundred and seventy holy martyrs crowned together.
In the same country, the Saints Martinian and Saturnian with their two brothers. In the reign of the Arian king Genseric, while the persecution of the Vandals was raging, they were slaves belonging to a man of that race, and being converted to the faith of Christ by Maxima, a slave like themselves, they manifested their attachment to the truth with such courage, that they were beaten with rough clubs and lacerated in all parts of their bodies to the very bone. Although this barbarous treatment was continued for a considerable period, their wounds were each time healed over night, for which they were at length sent into exile. There they converted many barbarians to the faith and obtained from the Roman Pontiff a priest and other ministers to baptise them. Finally they were condemned to die by being dragged through thorns, with their feet tied behind running chariots. Maxima being miraculously delivered after enduring many tribulations, became the Superioress of a large monastery of virgins, where she ended her days in peace.
Also the Saints Saturninus, Nereus and three hundred and sixty-five other martyrs.
At Cologne, St. Eliphius, martyr, under Julian the Apostate.
Also St. Bercharius, abbot and martyr.
Near Bourges, St. Ambrose, bishop of Cahors.
At Mayence, St. Lullus, bishop and confessor.
At Treves, St. Florentinus, bishop.
At Arbon in Switzerland, St. Gall, abbot, a disciple of blessed Columban.
On Mount Cassino, blessed Pope Victor III, who succeeded Pope St. Gregory VII in the papal chair and threw new lustre round the Holy See by the signal triumph he gained over the Saracens through the divine assistance. The veneration paid to him from time immemorial Pope Leo XIII approved and confirmed.
At Muro in Lucania, St. Gerard Majella, a professed lay brother in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Pope St. Pius X, on account of his reputation for miracles ranked him among the saints.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
