Lutgardis

Lutgard ( Luitgard, Lutgard, Lutegarde ) of Tonger ( e) n OCist (* 1182 in Tongeren, † June 16, 1246 in Aywières in Belgium) was a Flemish Cistercian and mystic.

Life

The life story Lutgards is known by a medieval Vita, written by the Dominican Thomas of Cantimpré. Thomas knew Lutgard personally and assured most of what he has stated in his autobiography to have direct experience of it. Lutgard was passed as a twelve year old the nuns of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Catherine at Sint- Truiden in the diocese of Limburg for education. After a vision of Christ she went there with 20 years of novitiate. Only a year later she was elected in spite of their youth Prioress of the Convention. However, they followed the advice of a friend, the holy Christina, and went to the Cistercian nuns of Aywières in Brussels, since they have a stricter rule of the order. Here Lutgard lived until her death, famous for her visions, an ascetic life of expiation and destruction. 16 years before her death, she became blind.

Lutgard was stated by their biographers numerous mystical experiences, most frequently Christ phenomena, encounters with the poor souls, in addition also visions of the Virgin Mary and other saints. They can be considered the first Sacred Heart mystic of the late Middle Ages view. It is reported by her that she had the gift to heal the sick. Lutgard is the patron saint for a happy birth, the blind and the disabled. In art she is often depicted as a vision in her Christ shows its open side or she is blinded by the splendor of the heart of Jesus.

In the Catholic Church Lutgard is venerated as a saint. Your feast day is June 16.