Ludmila of Bohemia
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| Saint Ludmila | |
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Saint Ludmila
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| Saint and Martyr | |
| Born | c. 860 Mělník |
| Died | 15 September 921 Tetín castle (cs), Tetín, Bohemia |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church |
| Canonized | shortly after her death |
| Major shrine | Chapel of St. Ludmila |
| Feast | September 16 |
| Attributes | veil |
| Patronage | Bohemia |
Saint Ludmila (c. 860 – 15 September 921) is a Czech saint and martyr venerated by the Orthodox and the Roman Catholics. She was born in Mělník as daughter of a Slavic prince Slavibor. Saint Ludmila was the grandmother of Saint Wenceslaus, who is widely referred to as Good King Wenceslaus.
Marriage
Ludmila was married to Bořivoj I of Bohemia, who was the first Christian Duke of Bohemia. The couple was converted to Christianity around 871, probably through the efforts of Saints Cyril and Methodius.[1] Their efforts to convert Bohemia to Christianity were initially not well received, and they were driven from their country for a time by the pagans. Eventually the couple returned, and ruled for several years before retiring to Tetín, near Beroun.
The couple was succeeded by their son Spytihněv, who ruled for two years before he died. Spytihněv was succeeded by his brother Vratislav. When Vratislav died in 921, his son Wenceslas became the next ruler of Bohemia.[1] It had been mainly Ludmila who raised her grandson and she now acted as regent for him.
Ludmila and Drahomíra
Wenceslaus' mother Drahomíra became jealous of Ludmila's influence over Wenceslaus. She had two noblemen murder Ludmila at Tetín, and part of Ludmila's story says that she was strangled with her veil. Initially Saint Ludmila was buried at St. Michael's at Tetín. Sometime before the year 1100 her remains were removed to the St. George's Basilica, Prague.[1]
Saint Ludmila is venerated as a patroness of Bohemia. Her feast day is celebrated on 16 September. She is considered to be a patron saint of Bohemia, converts, Czech Republic, duchesses, problems with in-laws, and widows. She was canonized shortly after her death.
Antonín Dvořák composed his oratorio Svatá Ludmila (Saint Ludmila) between September 1885 and May 1886. The work was commissioned by the publisher Littleton for the Leeds Festival.[2]
See also
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saint Ludmila. |
Sources
- Pekar, J., Die Wenzels- und Ludmilla-Legenden und die Echtheit Christians (Prag, 1906).
- Christianus Monachus, "Vita et Passio sancti Venceslai et sanctae Ludmilae avae eius," in Magnae Moraviae Fontes Historici (Brno, 1967), 186-199.
- Ingham, N. W., "The Lost Church Slavonic Life of Saint Ludmila," in Studia Slavica Mediaevalia et Himanistica. Riccardo Piccio dicata. T. 1-2 (Roma, 1986), 349-360.
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| Preceded by
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Duchess consort of Bohemia c. 874–888/891 |
Succeeded by Drahomíra |
- Pages with broken file links
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- 860 births
- 921 deaths
- Converts to Christianity from pagan religions
- Czech Roman Catholic saints
- Female regents
- Czech murder victims
- Duchesses of Bohemia
- Christian female saints of the Middle Ages
- 10th-century Christian saints
- Burials at St. George's Basilica, Prague
- 10th-century Christian martyrs
- 9th-century women
- 10th-century women
