GUDULA, saint, virgin. - Patroness of Brussels. Daughter of St Amalberga, sister of St Reineldis and of St Emeberto, born at Merchten in 650, she spent her youth in the monastery of Nivelles under the direction of St Gertrude. After the latter’s death (659), G. returned to her paternal home at Merchten, where she remained until her death (8 Jan. 712). She was buried at Hamme: under Charlemagne her body was transferred to the church of St-Sauveur at Moorsel and then to the St-Géry chapel in Brussels, and was finally placed, in 1047, in the collegiate church of Sts-Michel-et-Gudule, founded by Count Lamberto II. She is represented holding a lantern in her hand. Her feast is on 8 Jan.
BIBL.: Acta SS. Ianuarii, I, Parigi 1863, pp. 524-41; Acta SS. Belgii, V, Bruxelles 1798, p. 666 and following; R. Podévy, S. te Gudule, in Revue belge de philol. et d'hist., 2 (1923), pp. 619-41; E. De Moreau, Histoire de l'Eglise en Belgique des origines aux débuts du XII siècle, I, Bruxelles 1940, pp. 181-84; II, ibid. 1940, pp. 207, 274. Miroslav Stumpf