Elizabeth of Schönau

Elizabeth of Schönau (* 1129 in Cologne, † June 18, 1164 in Schönau Abbey ) was a German Benedictine nun. She is worshiped as a saint.

Life

At the age of twelve years, Elisabeth is passed by her parents in 1141 the Benedictine monastery of Schönau at the edge of the village in the Taunus Strüth (Rhein -Lahn -Kreis). There she is dressed well in 1147 as a 18- year-old.

In the years 1147-1152 Elizabeth suffers as a result of strict asceticism recurrent disease, anxiety and depression. Hildegard of Bingen exhorts Elizabeth in a letter, to be prudent in the ascetic life.

At the time of Pentecost of the year 1152 Elizabeth suffers rejection of all food and vomiting in deep depression. Sins and fear of life and religious doubts over their lives at that time. After ten days of crisis followed by a series of visionary trances. The Virgin Mary Elizabeth comforts in a vision.

In the year 1155 or 1156 occurs Egbert, Elizabeth's brother, in the convent of the monastery of Schönau men. Elizabeth leaves himself to the guidance of its biological brother. He directs and writes their visions in Latin down.

In the period following the arrival of her brother and under his influence, the high point of the visionary scene Elizabeth is. Her principal work Liber viarum dei - the book of God's ways - as well as the two other writings De resurrectione beatea mariae virginis - On the Resurrection of the Blessed Virgin Mary - and Liber revelationum de sacro exercitu verginim coloniensum - Book of Revelation of the Sacred Band of Cologne virgins - arise in the years 1156-1159.

Elizabeth of Schönau died on June 18, 1164 in Schönau Abbey. Your early death is very lamented. It leaves for Schönau the prophecy, " that worship and piety in Schoenau never die ." Your bones are buried in the Lady Altar.

Veneration as a saint

Because the population Elizabeth very soon venerated as a saint, their bones in the years 1420-1430 will be reburied in their own Elizabeth Chapel. This chapel was destroyed in the great fire in Schönau Abbey in 1723 and never rebuilt.

In 1584, Elisabeth of Schönau is taken as Holy Roman Martyrology into. Your feast day is June 19.

During the Thirty Years War Swedish and Hessian soldiers raided the monastery of Schönau. The Swedes expel the monks, plunder the monastery, regurgitate the grave of Saint Elizabeth and scatter their bones. Only the skull is saved. It is now preserved in a reliquary on the right side altar of the church.

The parish of St. Florin Schönau Abbey celebrates every year on the Sunday after the 18th of June, the traditional Elisabethen hard.