ELENA of Skövde, saint. — Swedish, died 19 Aug 1160 at Skövde (southern Sweden). Of noble family, she was widowed after only a few years of marriage, led a holy life, and made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. On her return to her homeland she was killed by relatives who unjustly suspected her of complicity in the murder of her son-in-law. Buried in the church of Skövde which she had built, she was canonized in 1164 by Archbishop Stephen of Uppsala at the behest of Alexander III. She enjoyed great veneration in Sweden and in the island of Scotland (Denmark). Feast: 31 July. Not in the Roman Martyrology.
Bibl.: La Legenda di Brinolfa, in Acta SS. Iulii, VII, Paris 1868, pp. 343 seq.