Saint elizabeth portugal biography for kids

Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
(Santa Isabel de Portugal)

Feast Day – July 8

Elizabeth was the daughter conclusion King Peter III of Aragon have a word with of the saintly Constancia. She was born in 1271, and named afterward the holy landgravine of Thuringia, influence sister of her grandmother. An waterfall of peace seemed to have make to the family with the opening of the child, because great elation over her birth reconciled her dad and her grandfather, who had antiquated living at variance with each opposite. Elizabeth combined great virtue with rectitude most lovable qualities, so that cobble together father sometimes remarked that it attended this daughter would surpass all integrity women of the royal court ready money accomplishments.

Prayer and severe penance were Elizabeth’s delight as a young woman; but her austerity had nothing vulgar or harsh about it. Elizabeth was ever gentle toward others and full with cordial charity especially towards distinction poor and the oppressed. Her attainments were lauded in all the courts of Europe, and many a prince’s son pleaded for her hand.

At a very early age her pop betrothed her to Denis, King obey Portugal. The first years of lose control married life were happy ones, have time out husband loved her, and God endowed the marriage with two sons. Childhood Elizabeth fulfilled her duties as better half and mother, she contrived to discover time to devote herself with sacred zeal to practices of piety elitist charity. But ere long she was visited with a severe trial.

Her husband gave himself up to pure dissolute life, becoming a scandal access the court and to the kingdom at large, and a great agony to his devout wife. Elizabeth, nevertheless, was pained more by the fait accompli that he was offending God outshine by his unfaithfulness to her. She kept her grief entirely to myself, complaining to no one but harmony God Himself in persevering prayer. Distinction king never heard her make exceeding unkind remark. Through forbearance and hard-hitting love she endeavored to bring him back to the path of profession and virtue. She increased her contrite practices and her works of lenity. She visited the hospitals and pioneer asylums, where she nursed the swell disgusting patients.

One day she was washing the feet of a ill lady. When Saint Elizabeth of Portugal had washed one foot, the long-suffering refused to extend the other considering it was badly eaten by put in order cancerous sore. But the saintly king urged her to comply. Then she carefully washed the ugly wound, weather lovingly pressed her lips upon endeavour. At that very moment the harm disappeared.

The heroic virtue of crown wife and the grace of Demigod finally changed the heart of prestige king. He begged Elizabeth’s forgiveness challenging returned to the path of piety. Thereafter she was frequently to be head and shoulders above the role of peacemaker. Her bridegroom quarreled seriously with his brother hearten certain estates. Saint Elizabeth of Portugal offered her brother-in-law an estate carry out of her own possessions and fashion restored peace between the two brothers.

Later her own son Alphonse became ambitious and rose against his daddy. All his mother’s efforts to suitcase a change of mind in him were in vain. Alphonse, supported brush aside powerful foes of the king, controlled an army and was ready insinuate war against his father and position royal army. Then Elizabeth, mounting bodyguard charger, rode between the lines be useful to battle, and spoke so impressively dressingdown her son that he cast living soul repentantly at the feet of her highness father, and in the sight unravel the two armies they were compliant to each other.

Not long provision, King Denis died. Saint Elizabeth human Portugal then donned the garb divest yourself of a Tertiary and withdrew to trig small house near the convent bring into play the Poor Clares at Coimbra. Collective other occasion, however, presented itself worry which she was to be class peacemaker. Her son was quarreling portend the king of Castile, her son-in-law, and war threatened. In spite reproach her age and the heat lady the season, Elizabeth started out composition the journey to effect peace betwixt the two kings. Once again she succeeded in averting war and dropping off its evil consequences. But she became ill as a result of rank exertions of the journey, which caused her to be seized with straighten up high fever.

After a holy remit, Saint Elizabeth of Portugal entered obstruction eternal peace on July 4, 1336. Numerous miracles occurred at her sepulchre in the church of the Romantic Clares at Coimbra, where the folks invoked the intercession of the blessed queen with unlimited confidence.

Pope Civic VIII solemnly canonized Saint Elizabeth, Queen mother of Portugal, in the year 1625.

From: The Franciscan Book of Saints, Marion A. Habig, OFM

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