Reineldis

Infobox Saint
name=Saint Reineldis
birth_date=c. 630
death_date=c. 700
feast_day=16 July


imagesize=198px
caption=Saint Reineldis as a pilgrim to the Holy Land, by the Master of Elsloo, circa 1530
birth_place= Condacum
death_place=Saintes, Brabant, Belgium
titles=Virgin and Martyr
beatified_date=
beatified_place=
beatified_by=
canonized_date=
canonized_place=
canonized_by=
attributes=a woman being dragged by the hair by Huns
patronage=open wounds, against eye diseases
major_shrine=Saintes, where her relics are kept
suppressed_date=
issues=

Saint Reineldis (also Reinhild, Reinaldes, Raineld among others) (c. 630 - c. 700) was a Frankish saint of the 7th century. She was a nun, and was martyred by Huns.

Life

Reineldis was born in a place called "Condacum" (which is identified with either Condé-sur-l'Escaut or Kontich). She was the daughter of Duke Witger of Lotharingia and Saint Amalberga of Maubeuge. Her brother Saint Emebert was a priest in the diocese of Cambrai. Her biography mentions Saint Gudula as her sister.

Both her father and mother decided to enter the religious life, her mother at Maubeuge Abbey. Reineldis made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Her "vita" ["Vita Renildis" ("Acta Sanctorum") written about 1050 in Lobbes Abbey, Belgium] records this fact, stating that she visited Palestine.cite encyclopedia | title =Reinildis, St. | encyclopedia =Who Was a Christian in the Holy Land? | editor =A. Mertens | publisher =Christusrex.org | date =1980 | url =http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/sbf/escurs/wwc/r.html | accessdate =2007-02-21]

She returned home and devoted herself to a life of charitable work as a nun at Saintes.cite web | last =Rabenstein | first =Katherine | title =Reineldis VM (RM) | work =Saints O' the Day for July 16 | date =July 1998 | url =http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0716.htm | accessdate =2007-02-16] She was put to death with Grimoald, a deacon, and Gundulf, her servant, by barbarian invaders in Saintes.

Veneration

Saint Reineldis is primarily venerated in Saintes as the town's patron saint. Indeed, some sources indicate that Saintes owes its name to Reineldis' martyrdom at the hands of the Huns who were devastating the countryside.cite web | title =Tubize | work=Communes of Brabant Wallon | publisher =Expatriate Online: Your Bookmark to Belgium | url =http://www.expat-online.com/belgium/communes/by_province.cfm?province=7 | accessdate =2007-02-21]

Saintes is also home to the church of Sainte-Renelde, which since the Middle Ages has housed the relics of Saint Reineldis. This parish church apparently has very rich and original furnishings, and a large east tower built in the 17th century.cite web | title =Stocks, Relics and... 'Tarte al Djote' | publisher =Office de Promotion du Tourisme de Wallonie et de Bruxelles | date =June 2006 | url =http://www.opt.be/informations/suggestions/en/O/48872.html | accessdate =2007-02-21] cite web | title =Villers-la-Ville, Rebecq and Tubize| publisher =Living in Belgium | date =2005 | url =http://livinginbelgium.com/villerslaville.html | accessdate =2007-02-21]

Saint Reineldis' patronage of eye diseases is due to her association with a well in Saintes known as "Sainte Renelde's well", water from which is believed to be helpful in curing eye maladies.cite web | title =Sainte Renelde et comp. | publisher =Nominis | url =http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saints_9914.html | accessdate =2007-02-21]

Iconography

Reineldis is commonly depicted with a sword or being dragged by her hair, remembering her decapitation by Huns. She may also be portrayed as a pilgrim, because of her journey to the Holy Land.

Notes

External links

*no icon [http://www.katolsk.no/biografi/reineldi.htm Den hellige Reineldis]
*fr icon [http://users.swing.be/avant-senne/patrimoine/pi16.html Pictures of Saintes, Belgium] - includes both the church ("eglise") and well ("puits") of Saint Reineldis
* [http://catholiconline.com/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4576 Catholic Online entry for Reineldis]