St. Elizabeth of Hungary

"I want to adorn myself, not out of worldly pride, but for love of God alone - in a fitting manner, however, so as to give my husband no cause to sin, if something about me were to displease him. Only let him love me in the Lord, with a chaste, marital affection, so that we, in the same way, might hope for the reward of eternal life from him who has sanctified the law of marriage."
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207 - 1231)

Today is the feast day of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Elizabeth was born in 1207 to the King of Hungary. At the age of 14, Elizabeth was married to the German principality Louis of Thuringia. They loved each other very much and had 3 children together. Throughout her life she was very prayerful, and served the poor and the sick. She also wore simple clothing. Every day, Elizabeth would take bread to the poor people who came to the palace gates. At the age of 20, Elizabeth's husband was killed in the Crusades. Then, her husband's family threw her out of the royal palace because they thought she was squandering all the royal money by feeding beggars. Once her son and the rest of her husband's allies returned, she was allowed to come back in the royal palace. In 1228, she joined the Third Order of St. Francis and worked in a hospital that she had founded in memory of St. Francis. She died in 1231, and was canonized 4 years later. 

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, pray for us!

_______________________________________

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/

http://www.itmonline.org/bodytheology/stelizabeth.htm