MEMORIAL OF SAINT ADELAIDE OF BURGUNDY, QUEEN – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 16TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Adelaide of Burgundy, Queen. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, we humbly pray for God’s grace and mercy as we prepare for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ during this season of Advent. Praying for hope, faith, love, joy and peace in our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the safety and well-being of all those traveling during this season of Christmas. Through the intercession of St. Adelaide, we pray for those in second marriages, in-laws, step parents and all parents, abuse victims and prisoners. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and we pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the Bishops, the Clergy, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world… Amen🙏
SAINT ADELAIDE OF BURGUNDY, QUEEN: St. Adelaide (931-999 A.D.) also known as St. Adelaide of Italy was a truly remarkable woman, a virtuous daughter of King Rudolph II of Burgundy, France. St. Adelaide was promised in marriage when she was only two years old, to a man named Lothaire, the son and heir of his enemy, Hugh of Provence. She was married at the age of sixteen to King Lothaire of Italy as a means of ending a feud. She was widowed after three years when her husband was murdered by a rival prince, and she suffered much at the hands of Berengarius II of Friuli who had taken over the kingdom. She was shut up in captivity, imprisoned for refusing a second politically motivated marriage. However, when the German Emperor, Otto I came to rule Italy, she accepted his rescue and offer of marriage. They had four children, the future Otto II and three daughters, two of whom became nuns. Pope John Xll crowned Otto I as the Holy Roman Emperor on February 2, 962 A.D., and St. Adelaide was crowned as the Holy Roman Empress. She ruled with her husband until his death on May 7, 973.
When her son, Otto II succeeded her husband, St. Adelaide exercised influence over her son Otto II until their estrangement in 978. St. Adelaide experienced a particularly difficult time because of the problems that arose between her and her son Otto II and his wife. She was driven and banished from the court twice by her jealous daughter-in-law, Empress Theophano. Yet she remained steadfast and faithful, known for her liberality in giving and her piety. She left the court and lived in Burgundy with her brother King Conrad. At Conrad’s urging, she became reconciled with her son, and, before his death in 983, Otto II appointed her his regent in Italy. With her daughter-in-law, Empress Theophano, she upheld the right of her three-year-old grandson, Otto III, to the German throne. She lived in Lombardy from 985 to 991, when she returned to Germany to serve as sole regent after Theophano’s death (991). When both of them died, in 991, St. Adelaide was eventually restored to the court to rule the empire as regent Queen onward until her minor grandson Otto III came of age in 994 and became Holy Roman emperor in 996. She used her position, power and influence to help the poor, evangelize her people, increased evangelization especially in northern Europe, built and restored many monasteries and churches. She showed rare prudence and understanding and was active in the reforms of the great abbey at Cluny brought about by St. Majolus and Odilo. Toward the end of her full life, St. Adelaide retired to a convert in Germany, spending her remaining days in prayer at a Benedictine monastery of Seltz Alsace that she had founded near Strasbourgh and prepared herself for a holy death, which took place on December 16, 999 and she was canonized in 1097 by Pope Urban II. St Adelaide is the Patron Saint of abuse victims; brides; empresses; exiles; in-law problems; parenthood; parents of large families; princesses; queens; prisoners; second marriages; step-parents; widows. Her feast day is December 16.
Despite her exalted status, St. Adelaide was a wife and mother, and lived both hard times and good, always faithful to her Lord, and always ready to give generously to those in need. She never took revenge on her political enemies once she gained the regency and it was said that her court was much like a monastery itself in its piety. She is a reminder to us that regardless of how much or how little we may have, our work remains the same.
PRAYER: God, You gladden us each year by the feast of St. Adelaide. Grant that as we honor her in such festivities we may also imitate her example in our conduct. Amen.🙏