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Saint Zdislava of Lemberk
Image: Michal Maňas · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Saint Zdislava of Lemberk

Bohemian noblewoman, wife and mother, Dominican tertiary devoted to the poor

Rank
Saint
Kind
Layperson
Life
d. 1252
Era
13th century
Feast
1 January
Countries
Czechia
Czechia

Life story

Zdislava was born around 1220 at Křižanov in Moravia into a Czech noble family. At about fifteen she married Havel, lord of Lemberk, who commanded a frontier fortress near Jablonné, and she bore four children. One source describes the marriage as forced.

Tradition holds that through the preaching of Saint Hyacinth and Blessed Ceslaus of Silesia she became the first Slavic Dominican tertiary. This too is questioned: the hagiographer Alban Butler doubted her connection to the Dominican order.

She was known for helping the poor and the sick. The biographies say she encouraged her husband to build a hostel for pilgrims, visited prisoners and interceded for them, taught the faith to her servants' children, cared personally for the sick, and helped refugees during the Mongol invasions. She also helped build a church and priories at Turnov and Jablonné.

She died on 1 January 1252 in the Lemberk–Jablonné area; sources disagree on the exact place. Pope Pius X confirmed her cult as blessed on 28 August 1907, and Pope John Paul II canonised her on 21 May 1995 at Olomouc, on the same day as Saint Jan Sarkander. Her feast is 1 January in the Catholic calendar, and the Dominican Order has kept it on 4 January since 2019; a Czech source also gives 30 May.

Works and witness

  • Married Havel of Lemberk and raised four children
  • Traditionally the first Slavic Dominican tertiary
  • Cared for the poor, sick, prisoners and refugees
  • Helped build a church and priories at Turnov and Jablonné
  • Canonised on 21 May 1995 at Olomouc

Saints from the same country

Saint Wenceslaus, Saint John Neumann, Saint Adalbert of Prague, Saint John of Nepomuk

References

  • Encyclopedia.com, Zdislava of Lemberk, St.
  • Wikipedia, Zdislava Berka (infobox: beatified 28 August 1907, canonised 21 May 1995; feast 1 January, Dominicans 4 January since 2019; Alban Butler's doubt)
  • EWTN, Canonization of Bl. Jan Sarkander and Bl. Zdislava of Lemberk, Olomouc (21 May 1995)

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.