LIDWINA (LIDWIGE), blessed. - B. at Schiedam (Holland) in 1380, d. there on 14 April 1433. From her earliest childhood she showed signs of special devotion to Mary; at the age of 12 she refused marriage proposals, praying God to deprive her of her beauty; and God granted her this through an unending series of illnesses which tormented her from the age of 15 until her death, making her an unrivalled example of patience. At the same time extraordinary mystical phenomena occurred in her, such as total abstinence from food (she received only the Most Holy Eucharist) and from sleep, as well as visions, ecstasies, miracles, the emission of fragrances, etc. Her cult was confirmed by Leo XIII on 14 May 1890.
BIBL.: The Vita, in three recensions, BRUGMAN, JOHANNES (v.), in Acta SS. Aprilis, II, Paris 1875, pp. 263-365; and a compendium of it made by Tommaso da Kempis, edited by M. I. Pohl, Thomas Hemerben... Vita Lidecégis Virginis, Freiburg im Breisgau 1905 (with critical apparatus); H. Heuffels, Ste Lydicne de Schiedam, Paris 1925.